Town hall rebellion against farm tax grows

Opposition to the hated Family Farm Tax has continued to swell, with a further two councils voting for motions against Rachel Reeves' controversial tax raid, as part of the ongoing campaign supported by the Countryside Alliance.

In one council, 39 Labour councillors voted for a motion against the tax, in an act of blatant rebellion. This is a particularly significant development, as it represents the first time that Labour councillors have come out and openly criticised government policy. Elsewhere, Labour councillors have consistently opposed such motions or abstained.

The motion calling for Durham County Council to back local farmers and raise concerns over the future of the agricultural sector was tabled at a meeting last week. It was put forward by Conservative leader Richard Bell, and asked leaders to “outline the council’s dismay at the decisions made in the recent Budget”.

A spokesperson for the authority confirmed to that all of the councillors present at the meeting supported the motion. These included 37 Labour representatives.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the country, Portsmouth City Council also passed a motion voicing "dismay and concern" at Reeves' decisions and labelling them "an attack on rural life and the aspiration of independent traders in our city".

Cllr Benedict Swann, who proposed the motion, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we were able to pass this motion. What is being done to farmers is completely immoral and whether you live in a city, town or village you will rely on a farmer everyday so it is right and just that we stand with them against the appalling injustice that the inheritance tax policy is."

"This will be felt right across the country and directly affects our food security as well as increasing food miles and carbon emissions from the increased miles our food will inevitably travel from foreign suppliers.

"I am proud to stand with the farming community and that we could show that through the motion."

Durham County Council and Portsmouth City Council now stand shoulder to shoulder with the thirty other councils who have already joined the town hall rebellion against the tax raid on farmers.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said:

“We warned that the rebellion against this unnecessary, divisive and disruptive tax hike on farmers would only continue to grow, and we are in talks with councillors from across the UK about more joining.

"The government seems oblivious to the fact that the British public are overwhelmingly opposed to the destructive measure they are imposing on farmers.

"Rather than working with rural groups to find a way forward, they have doubled down on their 'war on the countryside' with further measures, such as the sudden closure of the SFI scheme, coming as yet more blows to the already battered farming community.

"If the government continues its attacks on farmers, it faces completely breaking its relationship with the countryside."