Markus Campbell-Savours, the Labour Member of Parliament for Penrith and Solway, has renewed calls for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to abandon the family farm tax, urging the government to repeal the levy to ease financial pressures on farmers.

Campbell-Savours, who was stripped of the Labour whip last December after rebelling against the tax, was the only Labour MP to vote against the measure at that time. He spent over three months outside the party whip before regaining it. The MP is now pressing the government to “deliver one final U-turn” by reversing its decision to end agricultural property relief.

Agricultural property relief historically allowed families to pass farms to their descendants without incurring inheritance tax. This relief was removed under the first Budget of 2024, introduced by the then-Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which imposed a 20 percent inheritance tax on farm assets over £1 million, including land and equipment such as combine harvesters.

In response to mounting criticism, the government partially reversed the measure in 2025 by raising the tax-free threshold to £2.5 million, a change that took effect in April 2026. Nevertheless, recent polling suggests the tax continues to cause significant concern in the farming community.

A survey of 700 farmers conducted by the Country Land and Business Association found that nearly 90 percent had halted investment due to fears over the inheritance tax burden on their children. Additionally, about 70 percent of respondents expressed worries that their family businesses might not survive the next decade. Approximately half of those surveyed indicated they might need to sell a quarter of their land to cover potential tax bills.

Campbell-Savours told the press that while some farmers acknowledge that previous government reversals have provided some relief, many remain anxious about the future. He also called on the government to follow through on its farm profitability initiatives and reconsider the fertiliser tax alongside scrapping agricultural property relief.

The government was approached for comment but had yet to respond.