NFU president lauds Carmichael’s stand on ‘family farm tax’
Alistair Carmichael MP receives his award © MAG/Philip Case NFU president Tom Bradshaw paid glowing tribute to Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael for his “standout” role in challenging the Labour government’s controversial “family farm tax”, as the MP was honoured with the Farming Champion of the Year award.
Speaking to a packed room at the Farmers Weekly Awards 2025 at Grosvenor House, London, Mr Bradshaw praised Mr Carmichael’s leadership and commitment during what he described as “another incredibly challenging year” for British agriculture.
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“In fact, it’s been a challenging decade,” Mr Bradshaw said. “And I’ve been clear with ministers, with the prime minister, that the straw which broke the camel’s back was the chancellor’s decision last October to introduce the family farm tax.”
His remarks drew boos from the farming audience.
Mr Bradshaw highlighted the industry’s “unprecedented efforts” to oppose the policy. “Hundreds of meetings with MPs, thousands of letters written, tens of thousands [of farmers] in London, a petition with over 270,000 signatures, backing from the whole supply chain, including retailers.”
However, he singled out Mr Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland and also chairman of the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) select committee, as a crucial ally.
“There’s been one standout campaigner, who has been with us right from the very start – both in front of the cameras and crucially behind the scenes,” said Mr Bradshaw.
“Your political brain, your knowledge, your background growing up on the family farm on Islay make a truly invaluable friend to the NFU president.”
Mr Bradshaw praised Mr Carmichael for calling out prime minister Sir Keir Starmer over his farm inheritance tax plans, and for securing a key committee victory in May – persuading even Labour MPs to back a delay to changes in inheritance tax until at least 2027.
Mr Carmichael said he was “absolutely blown away” by the award.
“I don’t do this job for awards – I do it because backing British farming is in the national interest,” he added. “There’s no countryside without farming and no farming without government policy that does not have food production at its heart.”
Message to Defra secretary
Mr Bradshaw also directed a message to the new Defra secretary Emma Reynolds, saying: “If there’s to be a genuine reset, now is the time to take the hand brake off our farming industry.”
He expressed his appreciation for her “openness and willingness to engage”, but urged Labour to rebuild farmers’ confidence by reversing the farm IHT policy, scheduled to take effect in April 2026, which will impose a 20% levy on inherited agricultural assets valued over £1m.