I am dismayed at the announcement from the Chancellor that an inheritance tax of 20% will apply to farmers with assets of over £1 million from April 2026. This could decimate our farming communities across Ayrshire, Scotland, and the UK as owners of smaller farms will need to think twice about passing their business to their children.
Farmers are already dealing with unprecedented challenges. Rather than penalising them further, we should be supporting their efforts to provide sustainable, local produce and keep family farms thriving. Without them our food security will be put at risk and Ayrshire’s rural way of life and heritage will cease to exist. The last thing we want is large corporations taking advantage of this and introducing factory farming to our area.
The UK Government must listen to the voices of farmers and organisations such as the NFU which is warning of the dangers of implementing this policy.
Coming from a rural background myself and having visited many farmers across my constituency, I am passionate about supporting our agricultural sector. I am always willing to work with anyone to see improvements for our farming communities. I strongly urge the Chancellor to reverse this move.