UK farmers plan to protest at Parliament over a tax hike they say will ruin family farms

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — British farmers are descending on Parliament to protest a hike in inheritance tax that they say will deal a “hammer blow” to struggling family farms. They are demonstrating against the government’s decision in its budget last month to scrap a tax break that exempts agricultural property from inheritance tax. The Labour Party government says only a small number of farms each year will be affected. But farmers’ groups say the majority of family farms face a big tax bill. Britain has not seen large-scale protests like those that have snarled cities in France and other European countries. Now, though, farmers say they will step up their action if the government doesn’t listen.