Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for using farmers as a “scapegoat to plug the gap made by his own failings” after refusing to reverse the 'family farm tax', despite three other high-profile U-turns in recent weeks.
At Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Harriet Cross, MP for Gordon and Buchan, called on the prime minister to follow his recent examples on welfare, winter fuel payments, and grooming gang inquiries by reversing what the “malicious” farm inheritance tax increase.
The Tory MP, a vocal campaigner against the tax rise, accused Sir Keir of treating farmers with “contempt” and urged him to abandon the policy immediately.
The appeal came in the wake of concessions on his welfare bill following backbench rebellions, a partial reversal of cuts to winter fuel payments, and the dropping of Labour’s opposition to a national inquiry into grooming gangs — all within recent weeks.
During PMQs, Ms Cross challenged the prime minister directly: “When will it be the turn of farmers for a U-turn? Scrap the family farm tax immediately.”
In response, he declined to make a fourth U-turn, instead stating he had a “road map for farmers” in place.
Following the session, Ms Cross criticised Sir Keir, accusing him of showing disdain for farmers by making them a scapegoat to cover up the shortcomings of his first year in office.
She argued that he is willingly damaging the farming sector through the family farm tax, increases in employer National Insurance, and the introduction of a fertiliser levy.
"Yet despite this, he continues to show no remorse for the devastating consequences of his malicious policies on the sector," Ms Cross said.
"Rather than recognising this harm and U-turning on his cruel family farm tax, Keir Starmer is more interested in empty rhetoric in the hope that farmers will eventually forget.
"The truth is they will not and won’t forget, which is why we will all be fighting to the very end to get Starmer to reverse this policy to safeguard farming, rural communities and the nation’s food security.”
