Welsh FM defends inheritance tax changes as farmers march on Westminster

The Welsh First Minister has defended changes to inheritance tax as thousands of farmers march on Westminster.

Eluned Morgan, the leader of the Welsh government, insisted “very few” farmers would be impacted by the changes, at First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday.

Her comments come as thousands of farmers descend on Westminster, objecting to the Government’s plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives said farming was the “bedrock” of the economy in Wales and asked the FM to “call out this policy”.

He said: “(Farmers) are deeply troubled by the proposals contained within the UK Government Budget to remove agricultural property relief, especially as the Prime Minister and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Secretary said during the campaign that there were no plans to change agricultural property relief.”

Mr RT Davies added farmers felt there had been a “betrayal” by Labour and “fear, the frustration and the anger”.

Baroness Morgan said farmers make a “really important contribution to our country” but insisted the number of people affected was “going to be very few”.

She said: “They provide food, they provide a contribution to the economy, a huge social contribution, a cultural contribution.

“As someone who represents a rural area, I know how important they are as the bedrock to that economy, and that’s why they are one of the sectors that receives the highest amount of subsidy in terms of our economy.

“But we were left with a black hole, that is the truth of it, and farmers use public services: they send their children to local schools, they use the local hospitals, and somebody has to pay for it.”

The Metropolitan Police estimated more than 10,000 people had joined the rally in central London shortly before midday

Farmers have reacted with anger and dismay to the inheritance tax changes for farming businesses, which limit the existing 100% relief for farms to only the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property.

Some warn they will have to sell off land to meet the costs and are threatening to strike over the pressures they say they are being put under by the policy.