‘He should know better’: Britons from Keir Starmer’s hometown question PM after he told GB News ‘my first job was on a farm’

Locals in the leafy Surrey village of Hurst Green have delivered their verdict on Sir Keir Starmer’s prime ministerial tenure so far after he gave GB News an insight into his beginnings.

Speaking to our Political Editor Christopher Hope, the Prime Minister insisted he understands farmers’ concerns after his government’s inheritance tax changes.

He told GB News he “grew up in the countryside” and “my first job was on the farm”.

Visiting the leafy suburb was GB News reporter Adam Cherry, who asked locals how they think the man who was previously local to them is getting on as prime minister.

“I thought Labour would do what they said, but they have taken the winter fuel payment away”, one said.

“I’ve had to give up work to care for my husband with dementia. I have arthritis. I am very cold. Everything they’re doing is not what they said it would be. He’s letting the public down.”

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Another added they think Starmer is “so wrong” for “attacking” farmers. She spoke about her encounters with the PM’s family which was limited to spotting his sister on the odd occasion, an experienced shared by several of those who spoke to GB News.

Another local resident said: “I don’t know him personally, but I can speak for him as a prime minister. I voted for him hoping things would change – but nothing has happened.

“He could do better, and he should do better.”

But another local resident welcomed the PM’s commitment to resolving the multitude of issues facing the NHS.

“He has supported the NHS. I work for the NHS so I think that’s a good thing”, she said.

“But there are other priorities like farmers that he should be focusing on.”

Starmer has repeatedly insisted that Labour’s changes to inheritance tax will not impact the vast majority of farmers.

Under the plans, full inheritance tax relief will be restricted to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property relief, above which landowners will pay a rate of 20 per cent, compared with 40 per cent on other estates.

The PM told Chopper yesterday it is “important” that the Government supports farmers, and insisted he remains committed to doing so.

“I want to support our farmers, and it’s extremely important that we do”, he said.

“That’s why in the Budget, we invested £5 billion over the next two years in farming on food sustainability.

“That’s hugely important for farmers and an additional amount of money for flooding which impacts them and on disease outbreak.

“On questions about inheritance tax, which is at the heart of this concern, what I point out is that for a typical case where parents want to pass on a farm to one of their children, which will be a very typical family farm situation, then by the time the inheritance tax thresholds are all in the place, it will be £3 million.

“That means the vast majority of farms will be unaffected.”