MP urges Chancellor to reverse inheritance tax relief changes

A local North Devon sheep and beef farmer has expressed immediate stress and worry over the recent budget announcements and their potential implications for the agricultural community. 

Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, who lives and works in North Devon with her father, told the North Devon Gazette that the changes to inheritance tax relief are causing concern for her family and many others across the country.

“We don’t know the fine details, but there are thousands of others feeling the same across the country, and if you’re reading this, you need to know you’re not alone,” Ms Cottle-Hunkin said. 

“There are people you can speak to, for example, RABI and The Farming Community Network. Talk to your family, talk to your accountant to look at possible options, and don’t keep it all bottled up.”

Ms Cottle-Hunkin emphasised that mental health is a significant issue within the farming industry. 

“Even with a relatively small farm, we have been deeply affected. There are so many uncontrollable variables to contend with: disease, climate, not to mention all of the uncertainties following Brexit. It’s almost ironic that over the past few years we have all been urged to take part in the Future Farming Resilience programmes to help us navigate the exit from the EU. This has been full of changes and lacking in clarity, making it very difficult to understand and plan properly for the future.”

She expressed frustration with the government's expectations and financial pressures, stating: “We’re literally having to walk around the farm counting the trees and assessing hedgerows to try and claw back money we lost since leaving the EU, as if we need to prove we’re custodians of the countryside. It’s an absolute mockery.”

The emotional weight of farming was palpable in Cottle-Hunkin’s words as she reflected on her family's long history on the land.

“My great-great-grandparents were tenants of our farm in the 1800s, eventually managing to purchase it. Here we are still farming in 2024, and I really hope that it will continue. My children are only six and three, but they both love being out and helping.”

“This is far worse than simply feeling angry at the liars in Westminster; we feel sick about what will happen and don’t want to see our livelihoods disappearing,” she added. “We’re told there are possible ways to gift things over, but that takes seven years to take effect. For the majority of us, our parents are getting on in years, some with illnesses we cannot control. Are we just supposed to pray?”

Ms Cottle-Hunkin criticised the new Labour government's sudden changes, stating: “Labour told us pre-election that they wouldn’t make these changes; they even said the rumours were ‘desperate nonsense.’ They’ve now told us it’s happening, and we have less than 18 months.”

Highlighting the broader implications, she warned: “The world is a hugely volatile place, especially now, and our food security is a serious issue. We all need to eat, and we need to support farming now more than ever. I’ve heard people say that the government only values their farmers in times of war, but by that time it’s too late. We really have to make this government think again and realise the implications for the whole country.”

Ms Cottle-Hunkin concluded with a rallying call: “No farmers, no food. This affects everyone. Join the rally in London on Tuesday, 19 November.”

In response, local Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome told the Gazette: “Labour’s Agricultural Property Relief changes may be well-intentioned, but they clearly underestimate the risk this places on family farming and, therefore, our rural communities. North Devon’s farmers have already faced many challenges in recent years, from poor trade deals to income cuts by the former Conservative government that consistently took their votes for granted. This change to inheritance tax relief is yet another blow, and I am calling on the Chancellor to reverse course.”

Mr Roome stressed the reality of farming life, stating: “While farms might look rich on paper, the reality is that farmers are often asset rich but cash poor, having to work endless hours to make ends meet and keep our countryside looking pristine and beautiful.”

The MP is set to meet with the NFU and the Country Land & Business Association soon to ensure that local farmers' voices are heard. 

“We need real solutions that offer farmers the protection and support that they need. I will continue to call on the government to reverse this decision and adopt the Liberal Democrat proposal to provide farmers with an additional £1 billion in annual support,” he stated.