South West Devon MP brands family farm tax vote ‘cruel’

Rebecca Smith, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, has criticised the recent vote on the family farm tax, calling it “cruel.”

On Tuesday, 4 December, Opposition Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch forced a vote in Parliament to protect family farms. While Smith supported the motion, it was defeated by 339 votes to 181, a majority of 158.

Ahead of the vote, Ms Smith delivered a speech in Parliament, highlighting the vital role family farms play in Devon. She emphasised their importance in passing down knowledge of the land, preserving rural landscapes, and navigating the unique challenges of farming in the region.

Closing her speech, Ms Smith said: “Farmers are keen to ensure that they can produce, protect the environment, feed the nation, create and sustain good jobs, and generate economic growth, but they cannot do any of that unless they are allowed to get on with the job that they are keen to do.”

Despite the motion’s defeat, Ms Smith has vowed to continue her fight for farmers, criticising the Government’s tax policy and its impact on rural communities.

Responding to the decision, she stated: “Today Kemi Badenoch forced a vote in Parliament to save family farms. Rather than stand up for hard-working farmers, Labour MPs chose to cower behind their leader. The Government will press ahead with their destructive family farm tax.

“I have campaigned relentlessly on behalf of my farmers since the shock announcement was made in the Budget some 5 weeks ago. For many, after years of having their margins squeezed, the family farm tax was the last nail in the coffin. Farmers’ visceral anger at the NFU’s mass lobby in Westminster was clear for all to see.

“Preventing a farmer from passing on their life’s work to their children is the ultimate slap in the face. The Prime Minister must reverse this cruel policy and apologise to farmers.”

Ms Smith warned that Labour’s family farm tax could have devastating consequences, taxing farmers 20 per cent on assets over £1 million; a threshold that most viable farms meet. 

She described it as “a death knell for the family farm.”

This policy could also harm the UK’s food security, forcing greater reliance on foreign imports. 

Ms Smith has argued that this vulnerability would impact all British citizens and disproportionately affect low-income households already struggling with rising food costs.