Local MP Tom Gordon Stands Up for Farmers in Parliamentary Debate
On 4th December, Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, took a stand for the country’s farmers during a parliamentary debate.
During the debate, Tom intervened on Jess Brown-Fuller, Liberal Democrat MP for Chichester, to highlight the challenges faced by local farmers. He shared insights from a recent meeting with a farming family in his constituency, who expressed their concerns about Labour’s proposed plans to scrap inheritance tax exemptions for farmers. The family warned that such a policy would be a devastating blow to family farms.
However, it was clear to Tom that Labour’s plans to scrap inheritance tax exemptions for farmers are just one of the many challenges they face. The farming family highlighted another pressing issue: the skyrocketing cost of fertiliser in recent years, which has further squeezed their already tight pockets and threatened their livelihoods. Echoing their concerns in Parliament, Tom described how farmers are grappling with what he called ‘a perfect storm of challenges.’
In the debate, Tom also criticised the previous Conservative Government for failing to deliver promised support, citing a £227 million underspend in crucial funding for farmers. He called on the current government to ensure this funding is carried forward and to prioritise meaningful support for the farming community.
Tom and his Liberal Democrat colleagues have long been vocal in their opposition to Labour’s inheritance tax plans, describing them as yet another blow to family farms already under significant strain. They are urging the Chancellor to abandon the family farm tax and instead focus on policies that support rural communities.
Commenting, Tom said:
‘Family farmers across North Yorkshire have already been failed by a Conservative party that didn’t care about them – they can’t now be let down by a Labour government that doesn’t understand them.
‘The Liberal Democrats are standing up for rural communities and calling for an end to this disastrous family farm tax. Farmers in Harrogate and Knaresborough, and across North Yorkshire are already battling sky-high energy bills and the fallout from botched overseas trade deals. This tax hike will only make things worse. I urge the Government to rethink its plans and prioritise the needs of British farmers.’
ENDS