Five-Year-Old Boy Leads Protest Against Inheritance Tax Changes Threatening Family Farm

A five-year-old boy named Bert Church joined his parents, Hazel and Tom, at a protest in London against proposed changes to inheritance tax. Bert, who aspires to be a pig and chicken farmer like his parents, expressed his sadness over the potential tax increase.

The family farm, which has been in operation for four generations, could face a tax bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds under the new rules. This would force them to sell land, reducing the farm's size and viability.

Hazel, who has tried to contact Labour's Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves to discuss the issue, believes that Reeves does not understand the impact these changes would have on family farms. Tom, who works for the National Farmers' Union, expressed his frustration with the government's decision, calling it a "lie."

The Daily Express has launched a campaign called "Save Britain's Family Farms" to demand a government U-turn on the proposed tax changes. The Countryside Alliance's Mo Metcalf-Fisher urged Reeves and Labour leader Keir Starmer to listen to the concerns of farmers and find a solution.

Reform UK's Nigel Farage believes that persistent and peaceful campaigning by farmers could lead to change. He predicted that Labour MPs in rural seats would be pressured by their constituents to oppose the tax increase.

The latest Westminster tractor rally, organized by Save British Farming, coincided with MPs debating an online petition calling to keep the current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms. The government has defended its reforms, stating that they will affect only around 500 estates a year and that farmers will still pay a reduced inheritance tax rate of 20%.