I don’t understand why the government has not put out a stronger narrative about farmers and inheritance tax. They seem to be letting farmers have a free run at it. - ThreadSky

boudicca.bsky.social • 194 days ago

I don’t understand why the government has not put out a stronger narrative about farmers and inheritance tax. They seem to be letting farmers have a free run at it.

Reposted from Jim Pickard

letter to the FT

Comments

leo.mca.is•194 days ago

Echoes of "freebiegate" and the "starmer's always abroad" narratives: perhaps with such a stonking majority in parliament, they're just ignoring these things for now - will anyone remember them in 4+ years at the next election?

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

Maybe. But not countering these stories just chips away at public confidence in them.

danielincornwall.bsky.social•194 days ago

Possible explanations:
1) Patiently explaining that those complaining just don't really understand the policy normally goes very badly for governments
2) They think that the farmers' position is unpopular and are happy for it to be amplified and supported by the tories

danielincornwall.bsky.social•194 days ago

3) Explaining why it isn't that bad, and here's how farmers can ensure they don't pay it may not go down brilliantly with anyone to the left of the party
4) Most people (politicians included) don't feel at all comfortable trying to explain the tax system

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

I think you’re right. Just seen Jeremy Clarkson on the news and the arrogance and entitlement was not a good look. Not sure a row of Tory MPs with Kemi Badenoch front and centre is going to help much either.

danielincornwall.bsky.social•194 days ago

As to my point 1, this from @roberthutton.co.uk is a good example of why it’s a bad idea

https://bsky.app/profile/roberthutton.co.uk/post/3lbd6uphgmk2d

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

That all makes sense. Although I still feel not having a strong counter-narrative means most people will take what farmers say at face value.

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

Actually, I’ve just seen Jeremy Clarkson on the news, dripping with arrogance and entitlement, and he seems to be doing the government’s job for them.

jphendo.bsky.social•194 days ago

Government has a better understanding of PR than farmers. Government knows mainstream media is mostly talking to those like Clarkson and Dyson when they're exactly the tax avoiders it's aimed at. It's harder to venture out of London to find 80yos who inherited small farms and hoped to pass them on.

hakugard.bsky.social•194 days ago

We also have to talk about the narrative that keeping farmers wealth within their families is fundamentally a public good compared to other estates. Intrinsically what makes a farmer's son better at managing a farm, is that a good allocation of capital?

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

Really good and interesting point!

hakugard.bsky.social•194 days ago

Conceptually we seem to have accepted the wisdom that farming as hereditary, even perhaps a pastime, instead of a profession. Tertiary education in the farming industry in Australia is twice the UKs (15% to 6% bachelor's degree or above), leading to 18% more productivity per capita.

boudicca.bsky.social•194 days ago

The comparison with Australia is interesting.You don’t get to be a Dr because your parents were, so why should farming be hereditary? But a conversation is also needed about how the farming industry *should* look.We don’t want big corporations doing to farming what’s happened to water.

bella34.bsky.social•194 days ago

This seems to be a general problem with Labour.
They do not defend their actions with a reason why they are taking the actions.
They just do not seem to have a narrative.
They need to explain in simple terms and be ahead of the game.

juglos.bsky.social•194 days ago

Agreed, I think that’s the problem so far with this Gov. They need to explain their decisions in a much stronger way.

bella34.bsky.social•194 days ago

Exactly this.

richardkent.bsky.social•194 days ago

Very frustrating. This is such an obviously good policy, yet they’re being evasive.

Just pull out some charts. Quote Paul Johnson and BBC Verify.

Pull out the stops and properly defend it. Turn people against Clarkson

artbookreview.bsky.social•194 days ago

Rather good point from t'other place: why no interviews with 80 year old farmers who haven't passed the business on? Could it be there aren't any - that most do it in their 60s and semi-retirem

brushingboots.bsky.social•194 days ago

Alas definitely not! Literally sitting where I am in rural Lincs now I can see fields that belong to three separate 80-somethings yet to pass on because tax advice to date has been: 'don't pass it on until death'. Farmers generally don't have pensions, they have farms. This misunderstands farming

artbookreview.bsky.social•194 days ago

Can an 80 year old really run a £3 million farm single handed? It could have been passed on while still taking the income.

brushingboots.bsky.social•194 days ago

Well they shouldn't, tho some will try! The trouble w/ the seven-year rule is that it comes with conditions: it's not as easy as just passing it on and taking the income, not least as the next gen also needs that income. A £3m farm is still not a big or often profitable one on the basis of £10k/acre

artbookreview.bsky.social•194 days ago

The short term solution, of course, is a trust.

brushingboots.bsky.social•194 days ago

Yes, perhaps, though these are also taxed and BPR has been removed from these, which will lead to families requiring mortgages etc. I’m not a trust expert at all but that is my brief understanding of discretionary trusts

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