Saqib has spoken out against Labour's farm tax, revealed in the recent Budget, denouncing it as a betrayal of the farming community and arguing that it will place nations such as Russia and China in a much stronger position.
In an article for the Express, he opines that Labour’s betrayal of our farming communities should not come as a surprise, following their manifesto containing just 87 references to farming. He claims that farmers are reeling at what represents a fundamental attack on their livelihoods and that by imposing a cruel death tax on farmers by reforming Agricultural Property Relief (APR), the Chancellor’s family farm tax will mean thousands of farmers will be forced to sell their land rather than pass it on to the next generation. With fewer farmers working the land, there will be a shortage of food production, endangering our food security and pushing up the price of food on shelves. This in turn makes Britain weaker and strengthens leaders such as Putin and Xi Jin Ping.
In justifying this policy, the Chancellor has claimed that the changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) are necessary to fund our public services but Saqib argues that this is the wrong approach as farmers are providing a vital public service that needs to be protected. He has stated that this tax could be the end of the family farm, with farmers unable to handle the crippling tax burden placed on them by the Labour government.
Commenting on the tax, Saqib said:
"This Government has shown it is cruel and callous; more than willing to sacrifice pensioners or farmers to appease its trade union paymasters. They have demonstrated that they do not understand, or worse, appreciate rural communities. Farming is a way of life that drives our economy, protects the food on our table and brings local communities together and I urge the Government to rethink their policy before the devastating effects become a reality."
To read the full article please use the following link: https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1973657/labour-farm-tax-russia-china