BROMSGROVE and The Villages' MP has criticised new inheritance tax changes.
Bradley Thomas MP has spoken out against the UK Government’s revisions to inheritance tax, warning that the changes could have a damaging impact on family farms and rural businesses.
Alterations to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief took effect nationally on April 6.
Mr Thomas said: "This Government just doesn’t get rural communities.
"If they did, they would never have introduced the hated Family Farm Tax which I’ve voted against at every opportunity in Parliament.
"I am on the side of our rural communities and I will continue to oppose the Government’s Family Farm and Business Taxes.
"Farmers across Bromsgrove and the Villages who work long hours to produce food for the nation deserve better."
The MP said the new rules break a pre-election promise made to farmers not to change these reliefs.
He has opposed the Family Farm and Family Business Taxes for the last 17 months.
Whilst the Government has taken a partial u-turn on this, which has been welcomed by Mr Thomas, he is arguing that the changes should have been scrapped entirely.
In Parliament, he has voted seven times to remove the measures, but each attempt did not get voted through.
Mr Thomas said the Government’s actions have created financial uncertainty for 249 agricultural holdings in Bromsgrove and the Villages.
He warned that some families could be forced to sell or divide long-established farms to pay inheritance tax.
The changes come as farmers already face rising fuel and fertiliser costs.
Mr Thomas blamed these increases on conflict in the Middle East and further UK tax policies.
He also criticised the Fuel Duty hike to red diesel and criticised the Fertiliser Tax.
The MP said he will continue to fight these measures in order to protect food security and support British farmers.
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