More than 12,000 members of the public send letters to MPs as NFU ramps up Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign
A public letter writing campaign launched by the NFU to highlight the devastating impact of the family farm tax has garnered huge support with more than 12,000 letters sent to 551 MPs in just 12 days urging them to “speak up for farming”.
The letters encourage MPs to watch an emotional interview aired by BBC Countryfile with Welsh farmer Tom Rees and his father Charles in which they highlight the disastrous consequences of the proposed inheritance tax changes on their family farm, especially on their ability to continue to produce food and the viability of the farm for future generations.
The NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign has not only received enormous backing from the British public, but over the past year has had broad support from across the UK's food and farming sectors and other allied industries, retailers and the influential Efra Select Committee who have all said the family farm tax is unfair to those affected.
The independent UK-based research centre CenTax has also argued that the policy needs changes to deliver the government’s intentions and has proposed a number of amendments.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw, who was interviewed as part of the BBC Countryfile feature, said: “We are so grateful to the British public for getting on board with this letter writing campaign and for their unwavering support for our farmers and growers.
“It is remarkable that in the space of less than two weeks, more than 12,000 letters have been emailed to politicians of all parties. Many MPs have been contacted by more than 50 constituents which really helps the message cut through.
“This awful and unfair tax is going to have so many unintended consequences and the human impact is not being considered by the government. You only have to watch the powerful interview with the Rees family on BBC Countryfile to understand how many farming families will be left in the lurch, unable to afford horrendous future tax bills.
“The Budget is just over two weeks away. Even at this late stage, there is still time for government to do what is right and still raise the money that is needed. I urge them to review the alternatives that have been proposed by us and others to this totally unfair and damning family farm tax, to make the changes that will back British farming – and back investment in Britain’s future.”