The session was organised by Phil and Clare Wise, who farm at Skipton-on-Swale, near Thirsk. They also arranged a rally in Thirsk Market Place in November to draw attention to issues including inheritance tax changes announced in the Budget and rises in National Insurance Contributions, and the minimum wage.
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On Friday’s panel were Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who represents the Masham & Fountains division on North Yorkshire Council for the Lib Dems, Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake for the Conservatives, Mark Robinson, who was Reform UK’s candidate for Thirsk and Malton in last year’s General Election, and Steve Shaw-Wright, who represents Selby West on North Yorkshire Council for Labour.
All gave an opening statement, and then took questions from the audience, which included a large proportion of farmers, as well as other local politicians, including Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council. He spoke to announce that the ruling Conservative group on the council would be writing to the Government to request a rethink on its inheritance tax policy.
The changes will see the introduction of a 20 per cent inheritance tax rate for agricultural businesses worth more than £1m, a move that has sparked protests up and down the country amid fears for the future of family farms.
One farmer who spoke at the meeting said he had been advised his farm would face an inheritance tax bill of £1.26m if his 85-year-old father died within the seven-year rule. “Will the Labour government help me pay it? I don’t think so,” he said.
He was followed by a 22-year-old on a fifth-generation farm, who said if his 92-year-old grandfather died the inheritance tax bill would be £2.5m, however the business only makes £70,000.
As the meeting went on, some exchanges became heated, before the panel summed up their positions. Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said she would feed back the strength of feeling to Lib Dems MPs representing rural seats, while Mr Hollinrake pledged that the Conservatives would overturn the inheritance tax policy if they were returned to power at the next general election.
Mr Robinson urged people to support Reform UK and called for complete political change in the country. Cllr Shaw-Wright said he would listen, take the comments to Labour MPs, and would help campaigners to engage with Labour representatives locally on the issues.
Mr Wise concluded the meeting by thanking the panel and all those who had attended. “Keep lobbying your MPs,” he told the audience. “Keep bothering them, keep annoying them.”
