Herts farmer joined thousands in protest against inheritance tax changes
Will Dickinson was one of 13,000 estimated to have descended upon Westminster yesterday
Last updated 20th Nov 2024
Farmers from across the UK gathered in London yesterday to protest proposed changes to inheritance tax laws, which they argue threaten the future of farming and rural communities.
Among the crowd was Will Dickinson, an arable crop farmer who runs Cross Farm in Hertfordshire, and who shared his concerns about the policy’s impact on food security and the continuity of British agriculture.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "It’s not about preserving the wealth of our community.
"It’s about preserving, conserving, and making sure the next generation can do what we’ve been able to do."
The government’s plan would impose inheritance tax on land exceeding £1 million in value, a threshold farmers say is easily surpassed given current land prices, especially in areas like Hertfordshire.
Mr Dickinson noted that his father had bought the family farm 70 years ago for £100 an acre, a stark contrast to today’s values.
"Land might now be worth £12,000, £15,000, or even £30,000 an acre, but you can’t make money growing food on land valued like that," he explained.
Farmers fear the tax could force families to sell parts of their farms, fracturing properties that have often been passed down for generations.
Mr Dickinson highlighted the long-term commitment farmers have to their land, adding: "It’s that continuity, that commitment to land that I don’t think government gets."
At a rally in Whitehall, Mr Dickinson joined approximately 13,000 demonstrators to make their voices heard.
Critics argue the government is disconnected from the realities of rural life.
During the day, Mr Dickinson met with Liberal Democrat MPs Victoria Collins and Daisy Cooper in the hope that they would advocate for farmers’ issues in Parliament.
Responding to their concerns, Victoria Collins MP said:
"Family farmers across Harpenden and Berkhamsted have already been failed by the Conservative party - they can’t now be let down by a Labour government that doesn’t understand them.
"From meeting with local farmers in Parliament to discuss their concerns, I know how disastrous this family farm tax could be for them. They’ve already suffered from the Conservatives’ botched trade deals alongside energy and feed prices soaring. This tax hike will be yet another blow.
"I’ve already raised this in Parliament following the Budget but will continue to do so; the government must rethink this family farm tax, and give farmers greater support as a vital part of our local and national economy. I’ll keep pushing them on this."
Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, said:
"Our farmers, both locally and nationwide, are key to producing high quality locally grown food, protecting our natural environment, and guaranteeing our nation’s food security.
"The government’s family farm tax is so badly thought through: it will hammer family farms whilst still leaving massive loopholes that can be exploited by the big corporations and mega-wealthy celebrities who buy land to reduce their tax burden.
"Even a small farm on the outskirts of St Albans could be clobbered - leaving valuable farming land open to being bought up by developers.
"The message from farmers in my constituency is clear: this family farm tax is short-sighted and the government must think again."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said:
"Firstly, £5 billion was set aside in the Budget over the next two years for farming.
"That is the single-biggest amount of money into farming and sustainable food production that has ever been set aside in any Budget, ever. So that's a real statement of intent in terms of supporting farmers.
"There's also money to deal with flooding, which is a huge problem for farmers, and money to deal with the outbreak of disease, which can be catastrophic for farmers if they lose their livestock.
"On the question of inheritance tax, the example I've given is a typical example of parents wanting to pass on a farm to one of their children, and in those cases, when you look at all the thresholds available, that means that only farms over the value of £3 million will be affected by the changes, and therefore the vast majority of farms will be unaffected, and those that are affected will only pay half the inheritance tax that other people pay- 20% - and they will have a 10-year period over which to pay it.
"And so that's why I'm very confident in saying that the vast majority will not be affected. How farmers then arrange their affairs within their family is obviously a matter for them."