The conservatives say the changes would kill family farming, but Labour say it's only a small number who will pay the price for closing an agricultural tax loophole.
Oliver Leader De Saxe reports.
Oliver Leader De Saxe reports.
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00:00I'm not sure this government ever had my trust when it came to farming, if you look at who's
00:05on the front bench.
00:07A feeling not uncommon in Kent's farming communities, particularly here in the Weald of Kent, where
00:14nearly 40% supported the Conservative Party at the last election.
00:20And recent changes to how inheritance tax works has done little to change their minds.
00:27There are farmers who, maybe multi-generational farmers, who thought they had this tax relief
00:32in place, who are now looking at enormous tax bills.
00:37That's why farmers are so upset, lack of consultation, the way it was delivered.
00:42Shukin's hops aren't alone in their deep mistrust of labour and the handling of rural affairs.
00:49Thousands of farmers from across the UK descended on Westminster just a few weeks ago in relation
00:56to changes to inheritance tax and national insurance.
01:01And it's something Conservatives hope to capitalise on here in Kent, a county where they lost
01:07plenty of seats in the election, but somewhere they hope to rebuild based around their commitment
01:14to farmers.
01:16When you hear examples of farms that on paper are worth a very great deal of money, we all
01:21know how popular Kent is as an area to live in.
01:26You can imagine the price of land around here.
01:28And to hear that these asset-rich farms that may in fact be cash poor, so an annual profit
01:34of perhaps £20,000, they're then expected to face tax bills of millions of pounds, as
01:41I've been hearing in my meeting this morning with farmers.
01:44There is just no way that families are going to be able to deal with this.
01:48Now the Conservative Party are set to force a vote.
01:51They're going to overturn inheritance tax measures this Wednesday as part of an Opposition
01:57Day debate.
01:58I think there are two really important reasons to put this forward to Labour MPs and to the
02:02whole House for a vote on Wednesday.
02:04Firstly, I think we want to see whether these rural Labour MPs, you know, they've now got
02:08about 100 Labour MPs in rural seats, will put their money where their mouth is and vote
02:13for their communities, not for their party and just fall in line with their leader.
02:19And secondly, I think it's really important that the voice of the countryside is heard,
02:22for better or worse.
02:23We've got a very urban government, we've got a very urban cabinet, and this rural way of
02:27life deserves to be heard.
02:29But with the sheer number of Labour MPs sitting on the government benches, any Opposition
02:35Day motion is likely to be defeated.
02:39And Labour also say they are steadfast in their support for rural communities, claiming
02:45only the wealthier and more valuable estates will be forced to pay their fair share.
02:51But visits like this one show that despite a bitter election defeat earlier this year,
02:58the Conservative Party have the Garden of England firmly in their sights as they regroup
03:04for the next five years.
03:06Oliver, Leader of the South for KNTV in Bibinden.