Jules Hudson shares views on farmer tax debate
Escape to the Country star Jules Hudson has fiercely defended British farmers following the government’s new budget proposals.
In October, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the changes made to the Autumn budget. As part of her tax increase plan, which sought to raise £20bn, she proposed a 20 per cent inheritance tax on farmers with assets over £1m.
Since then, thousands of farmers have been left up in arms at the new changes which led to a peaceful protest who gathered in the capital to dissuade the new Autumn budget.
Now, the BBC presenter, 54, has stood up for farmers up and down the country in a new interview. On Thursday (November 28), the broadcaster appeared on The Cannon Hall Farm podcast by farmers Rob and Dave.
Discussing the controversial topic, the dad-of-one explained that the inheritance tax will only harm British farming. He argued: “I just don’t see how, from any angle, these proposals are supporting British Farming.
"You know, numbers are being thrown about like, ‘Oh, we’re investing in this, we’re investing in that’, that’s not the point.” The TV producer went on to urge politicians to have a discussion with farmers about how to support them in helping to grow the economy.
He went on: “One of the things I would urge anyone in government to consider is that farmers are problem solvers. Farmers are talkers and there is a conversation to be had. Let's have that conversation and let’s work out a solution.”
It comes after Jeremy Clarkson ignored medical advice to join the farming protest in Central London earlier this month. The former Top Gear host reportedly shrugged off doctors' orders to rally against the inheritance tax changes despite his recent heart attack.
Before the event, Mr Clarkson told The Sun he would head to London "despite having letters from doctors telling me not to go on the march and saying I must avoid stress".
The motoring journalist was one of the 10,000 people protesting outside Westminster as he urged the government to "please back down" the new tax scheme.
Clarkson has been a vocieferous critic of Ms Reeves' tax decision, accusing the Labour government of secretly wanting "to carpet bomb our farmland with new towns for immigrants and net zero wind farms."
