The MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough has welcomed the government's decision to amend proposed changes to the family farm inheritance tax.
Tom Gordon MP has welcomed the government’s decision to amend proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), describing it as a necessary U-turn that will better protect family farms.
The change follows months of sustained pressure from farmers, growers, the NFU and MPs across Parliament, who warned that the original proposals risked doing serious harm to family-run farms and rural communities.
Tom said:
“This is a welcome and important U-turn. Farmers across Harrogate and Knaresborough were clear with me from the outset that the original proposals would have put family farms at risk and placed unfair pressure on the next generation.
"Harrogate is home to the Great Yorkshire Show, England’s largest agricultural show, and that reflects just how central farming and rural life are to our local identity.
"I have met with farmers locally and across Yorkshire, listening directly to their concerns about the future of family farming and long-term succession. Those conversations made clear that the original approach was not right, and I am pleased the government has now listened.”
He added:
“This change brings the policy much closer to protecting genuine family farms. It also shows the importance of farmers speaking up and organisations like the NFU making the case clearly and constructively.
"Put simply, without farmers there is no food, and food security is national security. Supporting British farming is not just about rural livelihoods, it is about resilience, self-sufficiency and the long-term security of the country.
"I will continue to work with local farmers and farming organisations to ensure future decisions support food security, rural jobs and the long-term health of British agriculture.”
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