Farmers across rural England have voiced strong opposition to Labour Party policies on taxation and environmental measures, warning that continued support for the party could threaten the viability of the agricultural sector. This backlash comes two years after Labour secured 135 rural and semi-rural parliamentary seats in the 2024 election, following leader Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to protect farming communities.

Several farmers expressed deep frustration with Labour’s introduction of a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural land valued over £2.5 million, which took effect in April 2026. The tax, originally proposed with a threshold of £1 million, was raised after concerns about its impact on family-owned working farms, many of which are asset-rich but cash-poor. Farmers argue the new levy, alongside other fiscal pressures, has heightened financial strain on a sector already facing thin profit margins.

Alastair Large, whose family has farmed fruit in Goudhurst, Kent, since the 1700s, said he has lost faith in Labour after previously understanding why some voted for the party. “Voting for them would be signing our death warrant,” Large told reporters. “The government has piled on punitive taxes and portrayed us as money-hoarding landowners, which is far from the reality.” He described the situation as a loss of trust that could last for “at least a generation.”

The criticism extends beyond inheritance tax, with many farmers condemning rising input costs and the prospect of a proposed carbon tax on imported fertilisers. Kelly Seaton, a dairy farmer on the Shropshire-Cheshire border, linked the sector’s alienation to broader concerns over food security amid global conflicts. “With the conflicts in Ukraine, Iran and Israel, we need that steadfast backing of government. People can see that, to Labour, farming isn’t regarded as a key sector,” she said.

Stephen Thompson, a 65-year-old farmer in Moss Valley near Sheffield whose family has operated for over a century, said he voted Labour in 2024 due to local representation but would not support the party again. “They targeted us with this death tax as soon as they came into power, similar to how pensioners were treated. It’s a textbook example of what not to do,” he said.

Polling data from More in Common earlier this year reflects the growing discontent, indicating Labour would retain only two semi-rural seats and none in fully rural areas if a general election were held now.

The Countryside Alliance, a prominent rural campaigning group, said Labour’s future support in the countryside depends on the direction set by incoming party leader Andy Burnham. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, the group’s director of external affairs, noted Burnham has expressed willingness to reconsider inheritance tax reforms on farms and taxes affecting rural pubs. However, she emphasized that rural communities want policies that support rather than antagonize them.

In response, a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesperson highlighted government investment in the farming sector, pointing to an £11.8 billion funding package and policies aimed at long-term sustainability. “We have given farmers the funding, tools and opportunities they need to succeed and grow their businesses,” the spokesperson said, adding that trade deals have been designed to protect the interests of UK farmers and secure supply chains for future generations.