Ed Davey speech at farmers' rally in Westminster: This Labour government doesn’t understand rural communities

EMBARGO: Immediate release

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called on the Government to think again and scrap the “cruel” Family Farm Tax, in a speech to a rally of farmers in Westminster.

On the record of the last Conservative government, he said:

“Farmers are fed up with being let down and taken for granted – after years of a Conservative Government that simply didn’t care about you.

“The botched trade deals signed by the last Conservative Government make it harder for British farmers to sell to Europe, while making it easier for Australian and New Zealand farmers to undercut you on animal welfare and environmental standards.”

On the current Labour government he said:

“I fear this Labour Government isn’t listening to you either. They just don’t seem to understand what farmers are up against, or how important you are to our economy, to our society, and to our rural communities.

“Because if they did understand, there’s no way they would be hitting you with this outrageous, unfair new tax on family farms.”

On the impact of the family farm tax, he said:

“This family farm tax isn’t just cruel - it’s stupid too. What the Government needs to understand is that if British farmers can’t make the sums add up, if you have to close down and sell up, how on earth are we going to feed ourselves as a country? 

“Who else will put healthy, nutritious food on our tables? Who else is going to care for our countryside or our environment, if we lose the families who have been doing it so passionately for generations?”

“Rest assured, Liberal Democrats will keep making your voices heard in Parliament, fighting for more support for farmers and to stop the family farm tax.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Full text of Ed Davey's speech at farmers' rally: 

*Check against delivery*

Great to see you all here and proud to be standing with you – because this really matters.

The Liberal Democrats are standing up for farmers because you deserve far, far better.

You put the food on our tables.

You are the beating heart of our rural economies.

You care for our countryside and our precious environment.

And you are doing it all at an incredibly difficult time for farming:

The big increases in energy, fertiliser and feed bills over the last few years.

The transition away from the Basic Payment Scheme.

The botched trade deals signed by the last Conservative Government, which make it harder for British farmers to sell to Europe…

While making it easier for Australian and New Zealand farmers to undercut you on animal welfare and environmental standards.

And that’s all before you’ve faced some of the worst weather and flooding for generations.

I’ve heard it from farmers across the country…

How you are fed up of being let down and taken for granted – after years of a Conservative Government that simply didn’t care about you.

That’s why in July, farmers voted for change.

But now I fear this Labour Government isn’t listening to you either.

They just don’t seem to understand what farmers are up against.

Or how important you are to our economy, to our society, and to our rural communities.

Because if they did understand, there’s no way they would be hitting you with this outrageous, unfair new tax on family farms.

Surely, there’s no way they would do this if they understood the reality now facing farmers.

With farms that might be worth a lot on paper, but once you factor in all the rising costs you now have to pay, leave many of you earning far less than the minimum wage.

Farmers feeding our country are sometimes barely able to afford to feed their own families.

This family farm tax isn’t just cruel - it’s stupid too.

Who is going to buy your farms, when this tax forces many of you to sell?

The buyers will be the private equity guys and the big corporates? Not young farmers starting out.

And you know, it’s been DEFRA and the market pushing so many family farms to become bigger, just to stay in business. To afford the long term investments you have to do.

So what does the Treasury and this new government then do? Tax the family farms who’ve done what DEFRA asked them to do. 

It’s so wrong. 

And the future looks even tougher.

Because on top of this tax rise, the Government is planning to cut the base amount of direct payments by 76% next year.

Slashing payments and raising taxes, when so many farmers are already struggling so badly.

Ministers talk about those with the broadest shoulders paying more.

But have they seen how much farmers are carrying on their shoulders these days?

It just can’t be right to come after you, while they refuse to raise taxes on those who can afford it:

The big banks, the social media giants, the online gambling firms –

All making eye-watering profits most farmers wouldn’t even dream about.

All left untouched by the Chancellor’s Budget.

That just can’t be right.

Because what the Government needs to understand is this…

If British farmers can’t make the sums add up –

If you have to close down and sell up –

How on earth are we going to feed ourselves as a country?

Who else will put healthy, nutritious food on our tables?

Who else is going to care for our countryside or our environment, if we lose the families who have been doing it so passionately for generations?

That’s what we need to get the Government to understand –

That’s why we’re all here today – to get them to listen.

And rest assured, Liberal Democrats will keep making your voices heard in Parliament – not just today, but every day.

Fighting for better services and infrastructure in our rural communities.

Fighting for more support for farmers.

Fighting to stop the family farm tax.

Fighting to make sure you are never ignored or taken for granted again.

Friends, all we want you to do, is do what you are the best in the world at doing:

Producing high quality food. 

And that’s why Liberal Democrats will always have your backs.