Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A Labour Member of Parliament has been suspended following his opposition to the government’s proposal to impose a tax on inherited farmland starting next April. Markus Campbell-Savours, who serves as the MP for the rural Cumbrian constituency of Penrith and Solway, defied party lines during a key vote on the matter held on Tuesday evening. In addition to Campbell-Savours, numerous Labour backbenchers reportedly chose to abstain from the vote, reflecting widespread concern among MPs representing rural areas.
The government’s plan aims to introduce inheritance tax on agricultural assets exceeding £1 million, rolling back a longstanding tax relief that has been in place since the 1980s. Farms valued above this threshold would face a 20% tax rate on inheritance, which is half the standard rate for inheritance tax. This policy is projected to generate approximately £520 million by the year 2029. While the initiative was initially met with protests from farmers nationwide—who fear it could result in the fragmentation of family farms—the legislation was notably absent from last year’s law ratifying the Budget, thereby avoiding immediate parliamentary confrontation.
Markus Campbell-Savours defended his decision to oppose the tax by emphasizing his pre-election commitments to his constituents, stating that removing the relief would cause significant hardship for many farming families. He expressed a deep personal commitment to his community, declaring, “When the good people of Penrith and Solway decide my time here is up, I intend to walk around my community knowing that I did all I could for them.” Following this rebellion, Labour has reportedly suspended him from the party whip, meaning he will continue as an independent MP.
The vote saw the Commons approve the tax plan with 327 votes in favor and 182 against, but notably, 84 Labour MPs abstained or did not participate, a rate higher than usual for budget-related votes. Within Labour’s Rural Research Group, some members estimated that around 30 backbench MPs actively chose to abstain. John Whitby, Labour’s MP for Derbyshire Dales, highlighted the strong feelings within the party about the measure. Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union, which opposes the proposal, encouraged Labour parliamentarians to abstain as a tactic to pressure the government into modifying the policy. Treasury minister James Murray defended the plans, asserting that the relief targeting inherited farmland would spare small family farms while ensuring fairness and additional revenue for public services. Adjustments announced at the recent Budget included allowing unused portions of the £1 million relief to be transferred between spouses and civil partners, which is expected to reduce income from the tax by around £70 million annually. Some Labour MPs, including Jenny Riddell-Carpenter and Samantha Niblett, expressed support for this concession but called for further steps to lessen the policy’s impact, with Niblett noting that many farmers do not fit the stereotype of wealthy landowners. Opposition parties, including the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, have also criticized the government’s proposals, with Conservative shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins praising the Labour MPs who voted against the measure
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.