Bradshaw defends end of NFU’s family farm tax campaign

NFU president Tom Bradshaw has defended the union’s decision to end its Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign, insisting the organisation secured the best possible outcome while laying the groundwork for further political influence.

Speaking at the NFU Council meeting at its headquarters in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, on Tuesday 27 January, Mr Bradshaw said feedback from members had generally been “very positive” following 15 months of co-ordinated lobbying on farm inheritance tax (IHT).

“It’s so important for the whole organisation to recognise the success that has been delivered by such a co-ordinated campaign, over such a long period of time,” he told council members, thanking staff and highlighting strong attendance at IHT roadshows around the country.

See also: NFU hit by farmer backlash at Lamma over IHT

Mr Bradshaw said the high-profile campaign had formally ended, but stressed this did not mean lobbying would stop.

He pointed to a recent meeting at an NFU local branch in Braintree, Essex, with senior Conservatives, including opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, as proof that lobbying would continue.

“The very high-profile campaign that we’ve been running has come to an end. But as we said yesterday, that doesn’t mean that we stop lobbying,” he said.

The NFU president said the next phase would focus on developing a detailed, member-led policy position covering IHT, capital gains tax, rollover relief, land ownership and tenancy length, describing it as “a really complicated field”.

Council support

In an interview with Farmers Weekly, Mr Bradshaw responded to criticism from grassroots farmers and some industry figures over the decision to halt the campaign.

“We have just had our NFU Council and I think it’s fair to say that overwhelming support from council members… is really positive about getting to the threshold increase of £2.5m,” he said.

Mr Bradshaw stressed that no decisions were made when prime minister Sir Keir Starmer invited him to 10 Downing St to discuss the tax issue on 12 December last year.

But he did tell Sir Keir that if he could find a way of making “substantive change to the policy”, the NFU would end its campaign.

Mr Bradshaw reiterated that the NFU did not support the IHT policy, adding: “They [the government] know that we don’t accept the policy – it’s overtly clear with them.”

Political reality

However, he said political reality had constrained what could be achieved. “A government with a 160-seat majority is incredibly powerful,” he said, adding that the NFU did not believe it could secure sufficient support in the Commons to force further change.

Mr Bradshaw acknowledged ongoing frustration among some members, saying: “I understand the anger. I understand that there are some farmer-members who still face the tax charges. It’s unfair.”

He said the proposed £2.5m threshold (£5m for married couples) – up from £1m originally – had once seemed impossible and was recently lauded by Efra chairman Alistair Carmichael MP at an event in Devon as the best possible outcome given the circumstances. 

Mr Bradshaw stressed that the NFU must now focus on influencing a packed policy agenda over the next 12 to 24 months, working with “40 to 50 champion Labour MPs” to push for wider change affecting farm profitability.