Thousands of farmers travelled to Westminster yesterday (November 19) to raise concerns over inheritance tax changes that will see death duties payable by some farmers on agricultural and business property.

From April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt, will be liable to the tax at 20% - half the usual rate.

The Treasury estimates the changes will raise up to £520m a year.

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MP Tim Farron says the tax will be a concern for the 440 Cumbrian farms that could be affected in Westmorland and Lonsdale and met with constituents as Lib Dems demand to ‘axe the family farm tax’.

Mr Farron said: "Family farmers across Cumbria have already been failed by a Conservative party that didn’t care about them - they can’t now be let down by a Labour government that doesn’t understand them. 

"Liberal Democrats are standing up for rural communities, and calling for an axe to the family farm tax that would be disastrous for farmers across Westmorland and Lonsdale.

"British farmers are already battling with sky-high energy bills and botched overseas trade deals; and this hike will only make things much worse. I am urging the Government to change course."

Jeremy Clarkson at the Farmers' Westminster protest (Image: Aaron Chown) Pre-election, the Labour government promised to kickstart rural growth with a new deal for farmers to boost Britain's food security.

More than 10,000 farmers and campaigners, including former BBC Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, travelled to London to protest and send the government a clear warning that there will be no let up until the policy is reversed.

NFU (National Farmers' Union) president Tom Bradshaw say the changes are an ‘extraordinary’ betrayal of farmers by the government and hinted that more extreme action could be taken if the government does not backtrack on its plan.

Thousands of protesters at Westminster (Image: James Manning) I thought Tom Bradshaw spoke eloquently and accurately," said John Geldard of Plumgarth's Farm, Kendal.

"Compliments to everyone who went and represented our industry.

"I've seen three labour Governments in my farming career, the first two bankrupted the country and I was hoping things would be different under this one, but for a government that came to power talking about the importance of growth, this has been disgraceful."

John adds that it's not just inheritance tax issue but is also what he says is Defra's most recent 'diabolical' announcement - a much more rapid phasing out of the de-linked BPS (Basic Payments Scheme) payments for farmers in England than was previously expected.

Under the government's post-Brexit agricultural transition plan, 2023 was the last year of the BPS scheme, and delinked payments replaced it at the start of 2024.

These will be gradually reduced from 2024-2027, and no further amounts will be payable from the year 2028.

All recipients will see the base amount of their payments cut by 76% next year.

James Robinson when he won the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group National Silver Lapwing AwardJames Robinson dairy farmer at Strickley Farm, Kendal said: "The BPS announcement left many farmers unprepared and these changes which will have massive impact.

"In terms of the inheritance tax, the general consensus is that this is an ill-thought out plan and the government are going back on a promise made pre-election.

"Many rural voters have trusted Labour for the first time and this decision will make very little difference to the government coffers but will have a huge impact on farmers.

"This was an opportunity to show support for everything we do, not just in terms of food but the positive impact the agricultural industry has on the environment and the social impact of contributing to health and well being.

"That confidence has been eroded now and trust will be hard to get back."