Politics News

NFU has said that the UK government will “reap what it sows” following today’s meeting with the Treasury and after offering an alternative solution to the family farm tax fight.

The farming industry leaders have met with the Treasury today to propose a ‘clawback’ mechanism as an alternative to the government’s current inheritance tax plans, however, they were faced with ‘no interest’ from the government.

The toughening of the shotgun ownership restrictions is predicted to have a huge impact on the farming sector, making the possession of a shotgun more restrictive, expensive and bureaucratic.

The farming community has responded to yesterday’s farmers’ protest in Buckinghamshire.

Defra has issued a statement in regard to an “inaccurate media coverage” of foot and mouth disease (FMD) controls with reports that it took six or seven days to implement Defra’s restrictions on German imports.

PM Keir Starmer cut short his visit to a housing development in Buckinghamshire after a dozen tractors appeared at the site.

PM Keir Starmer claims that farming is ‘top of the governmental agenda’ despite ‘low pecking order’.

Defra has been requested to provide a timeline of response to the report of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany. The Efra committee heard in evidence that a government IT system took six to seven days to implement Defra’s restrictions on German imports.

Almost 50 members of Parliament took part in the debate relating to the inheritance tax relief for working farms. The MPs said that this “deeply damaging policy” needs to change.

Andrew Connon has been elected the new president of NFU Scotland. The vice-presidential posts go to Duncan Macalister and Robert Neill.

Farmers from around the UK are taking part in a tractor rally in London today, demanding the government to rethink Budget proposals that threaten the future of British farming. 

Farming campaigners raised concerns that the government may back away from the pledge to serve British-grown food in schools and hospitals in the scramble for spending cuts.