At City Hall's Plenary session, Conservative Assembly Members, Susan Hall AM and Thomas Turrell AM called on the Assembly to support a motion Susan has proposed, demading the Mayor and the GLA to lobby for the reversal of Labour's Family Farm tax, the reforms to agricultural inheritance tax announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget.
There are over 200 farms in Outer London boroughs like Bromley.
The motion, proposed by Susan Hall and seconded by Bexley & Bromley constituency member Thomas Turrell, requests that Sadiq Khan and Mayoral authorities:
• Lobby ministers and reinstate changes to the way farmers and agricultural land and business owners will pay Inheritance Tax from April 2026.
• Lobby ministers to uphold the 100% reliefs applied from Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR).
• Meet farming representatives to urgently address alternative ways that Greater London farms can receive additional support to ensure they stay in work and can continue to pass on their businesses to future generations.
The motion comes after intense campaigning by farmers and farmers' groups against the proposed changes to inheritance tax rules, which they believe will wipe out family farming in Britain by introducing additional charges to farms.
Sadly Labour and Green Assembly Members teamed up to defeat the motion.
Speaking before th meeting, London-wide Assembly Member Susan Hall said:
"The family farm tax threatens the future of British farming and our food security. Despite all the warnings from rural stakeholders and experts, Rachel Reeves and the Treasury just aren’t listening. Farmers work tirelessly day-in, day-out, in all weather conditions, and against countless barriers, to put food on the plates of family dinner tables and restaurants across London. Our capital is dependent on farmers to help fuel its citizens with their healthy, seasonal, and sustainable produce. I hope that all Assembly Members, regardless of political party, back this motion to send Rachel Reeves a message, before it’s too late.”
Thomas Turrell, who represents Bexley and Bromley added:
"I'm very pleased to be seconding this motion and to help bring this issue to City Hall on behalf of farmers in my constituency and across London. Farms in this country stretch back generations in many cases, and thanks to cruel and vindictive changes by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to the agricultural inheritance tax relief, they may vanish in a matter of years. It's not right, and I hope that our motion is a sign to farmers that we support them in facing these disastrous changes. You provide for us, now let us fight for you."
