‘Like petulant toddlers!’ Labour lambasted by farmer for ‘digging heels in’ on inheritance tax raid

A British farmer has accused Labour of acting like “petulant toddlers” over its stance on inheritance tax changes affecting the agricultural sector.

Speaking to GB News, Charles Goadby hit out at the Government’s refusal to reconsider the controversial tax measures announced in the Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

In their latest protest against Labour’s decision, hundreds of farmers will gather today at the Business Property Relief (BPR) Summit at The London Palladium.

Organisers of the event declared that the gathering will “send a message to the Government” about the “crippling effect” that the tax raid will have on farmers across the country.

Hitting out at the Government for “digging their heels in”, Goadby fumed: “They’re like petulant toddlers, they just don’t want to know.

“They don’t want to look at the facts and figures – they’ve come up with something out of thin air, and they just want to press ahead with it no matter what.”

Questioning why the Government are refusing to negotiate on the policy, Goadby claimed that Labour’s figures are “wrong”, and has personally filed a Freedom of Information request to the Treasury.

Goadby told GB News: “Why on earth are they pressing on with it? When we look at the farming figures, we have proven, using the Government’s own data and statistics, that their their figures are absolutely wrong.

“Last week I had a letter back from the Treasury – I did a Freedom of Information request. And the Treasury turned around and they have admitted in black and white that the figures they have for business property relief in farming, they have no figures whatsoever.”

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Goadby warned the tax changes would have severe implications for Britain’s food security and inflation.

He stated: “This is going to have a huge impact on food supplies in this country, food security and food inflation.

“When we look at the agricultural property relief, which is what all of their figures have been based on, it’s now been found out that historically, farmers have been advised to use their accountancy figures rather than red book valuations, the true valuation.

“And so that is massively underestimated how much it’s going to cost the industry.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the “vast majority” of farmers would not be affected by the tax changes.

Starmer’s spokesman has confirmed there will not be a rethink on inheritance tax, stating: “We understand the strength of feeling about the changes, but we are clear this will only affect a small number of estates.”

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has urged the Prime Minister to pause the changes while ministers consult with them.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw told MPs farmers were ready to work with the government, adding there were “many ways” to make the policy “less bad”.