Farmers Face Fresh Blow from Labour in Latest Attack on Livelihoods – ‘The Mask Has Slipped!’
Labour has come under fire yet again for another assault on farmers, as they’re accused of forcing landowners to sell fields at a lower value.
Labour’s latest plans to build 1.5 million new homes in Britain could further harm farmers, it has been claimed, after it emerged they could be forced to sell fields for less than their real value.
Angela Rayner’s new Planning Bill will give councils new powers to acquire land through compulsory purchase orders in order to meet their new higher housing targets.
However councils will only have to pay owners the current value of the land, rather than the value it could be worth if built on as under the current system.
Farmers will be among those landowners forced to hand their fields over should the local authority deem it necessary for building.
The move will come as yet another hammer blow to farmers’ livelihoods, just weeks after the government was accused of launching ideological warfare over the ongoing inheritance tax row.
Angela Rayner’s plans could leave farmers out of pocket (Image: Getty)
Angela Rayner insists she is “creating the biggest building boom in a generation – as a major step forward in getting Britain building again and unleashing economic growth in every corner of the country, by lifting the bureaucratic burden which has been holding back developments for too long.”
Labour’s manifesto said compulsory purchase of land would ensure landowners, including farmers, get “fair compensation rather than inflated prices”.
However Tim Bonner, the Countryside Alliance chief, described the move as “a step too far”.
He fumed: “We have been supportive of many of the Government’s changes to planning policy, but giving councils more power to reduce the value of land is a step too far, especially in the context of such a challenging outlook for farmers and the inheritance tax fiasco.
“This is not about people blocking development, it’s about the state paying the market price for land. We need more houses and more economic development, but not at the cost of basic principles.”
Farmers’ land will be bought at a cut-price cost by councils (Image: Getty)
Conservative MP Robbie Moore accused the government of being “vindictive”, tweeting: “So not only is this vindictive Labour government forcing our farmers to sell their land through their #FamilyFarmTax, they are now legislating to force our farmers to sell fields for less than their potential value if they are seized for government or local council development.
“The mask has slipped. Labour’s land grab plans and attack on our farmers continues.”
James Melville, a campaigner who set up the No Farmers, No Food group to fight against Rachel Reeves’ tax grab, said the policy amounts to “an asset strip of farms”.
He warned: “No doubt the powers that be will value land at its highest possible value for inheritance tax and at the lowest possible value when buying land from farmers.”
The SDP blasted: “The Government appears to be doing all that it can to drive farmers off the land.
“This will destroy livelihoods, fundamentally alter the character of our country, and imperil food security at a time when global supply lines are becoming more vulnerable and uncertain.”
Deputy Vice President of the Country Land and Business Association Gavin Lane said that forcing landowners to sell land “isn’t the answer”.
