Sir John Hayes MP has joined farmers and growers from South Holland and the Deepings in a mass rally of Parliament on Tuesday November 19th.
Sir John met a large group of farmers and growers from Lincolnshire in London protesting the Government’s changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) announced in the budget. The rally was attended by an estimated 20,000 farmers from across the country.
Sir John also addressed a delegation of Lincolnshire farmers in Parliament, where he was joined by the Shadow Environment Secretary, and fellow Lincolnshire MP, Victoria Atkins.
Sir John said “The Labour Government have betrayed farmers, growers and rural communities by introducing a tax on family farms. Removing inheritance tax relief will make it harder for farmers to pass their holdings onto their children and grandchildren, meaning many will be forced to sell their farms. This matters so much to my constituents because so many of them are employed in food and farming businesses.”
“The consequences of these changes for rural areas and our way of life will be enormous, with less land farmed, in turn making us more reliant on food imports, undermining our country's food security.”
“I’ve been clear that the Government must change course and reverse the damaging
changes announced in the budget to APR and BPR, and I will continue to do all I can to make the case to Ministers for the people we rely upon to feed the nation.”
