EXCLUSIVE - Sir Mark Spencer on IHT: "Young farmers are walking away from the sector"

Former Farming Minister Sir Mark Spencer writes on why young people are walking away from a future in farming due to Inheritance Tax changes, and why farmers have been taken for granted

clock • 2 min read
Sir Mark Spencer said: "The reward has always been that you will one day be able to take on the family farm, to build on what your parents and grandparents did, and one day inspire the next generation of family to continue what you have done. Why, after all that work, effort, dedication and passion, would you (the farmer) do that to eventually be the generation that lost the family business to the tax man?"
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Sir Mark Spencer said: "The reward has always been that you will one day be able to take on the family farm, to build on what your parents and grandparents did, and one day inspire the next generation of family to continue what you have done. Why, after all that work, effort, dedication and passion, would you (the farmer) do that to eventually be the generation that lost the family business to the tax man?"

Government policy is a complete disaster that we may not fully feel the impact of until it is too late. But the reality is, this is having a huge impact right now. Whilst I was the Farming Minister,...

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