Supermarket Morrisons has said it stands alongside farmers in their protests against the government’s proposed changes to inheritance tax.
In a video posted to social media, the company’s head of agriculture Sophie Throup described the measures proposed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a threat to small, family-run farms. “We want to send a message of support today for the whole of the farming community,” she said. “We understand your anger and your frustrations at the inheritance tax, and we’re with you.
“We share your concerns about the long-term future the inheritance tax is going to have on farms, particularly smaller family farms. And we know that you want something done about it. We’ve been raising these concerns at the highest levels of Government since November last year, and we will continue to do so. We know it’s important.
“We are with you. We’re here to help you. If you want to talk to me, please message me. We are here to help. As a Yorkshire farmer and head of agriculture at Morrisons, I know you get just how damaging this Government’s changes announced in the Budget are for our farming community.”
The move was welcomed by many, with Conservative shadow farming minister saying, “Huge well done to Morrisons for showing support.”
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, external affairs director at the Countryside Alliance, also welcomed the intervention, saying, “This is a major development in the ongoing fight to get Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to see sense. Their hated tax hike threatens the future of small family farms, the very people these supermarkets depend on to do business. We hope more supermarket chains stand with farmers and use their might to help force a Government rethink before it’s too late.”
However, many farmers and growers pointed out that retailers could do more to support the industry commercially. Clive Bailye, founder of The Farming Forum, told The Telegraph, ”I don’t believe that supermarkets really care about farmers. If they did, our returns wouldn’t be at the embarrassingly low levels they are. Their duty is to shareholders and there is nothing new about them claiming to support farmers for marketing gain.”