REEVES TAX RAID 'HURTS' BRITISH FARMS

COUNTRYFILE host Adam Henson has told Rachel Reeves her tax raid "hurts" farming.

- Steph Spyro

Adam, above, urged the Chancellor to "soften the blow" of her Budget reforms by considering some "simple" alternatives.

BBC presenter Adam, 59 - a second-generation tenant farmer - admitted that he was "worried" about her policies.

He claimed that Ms Reeves's changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief will "hurt" farming.

Adam said: "I think there should have been more consultation. There could have been some positive, clear advice. It's been talked about for years, whether it might change and the Government said, 'No, we're not going to' and then they did.

"I think that's why many people are angry and upset that they weren't consulted. I think it could have been delivered in a better way." The Daily Express is calling on Ms Reeves to U-turn, as part of our Save Britain's Family Farms crusade.

Farmers plan to protest in London on Monday against the Budget changes which some critics fear also threaten the future of the sector.

Adam said employers' National Insurance rises will also make the coming year difficult. Asked if it was an "attack" on the countryside, he added: "I'm not sure it's an attack but it hurts. We're tenant farmers on a 1,600-acre property and thank goodness we've already diversified.

"That's thanks to my father who opened the Cotswold Farm Park in 1971, because we have another form of income and I work in the media. But we are not going to make money in 2025 out of agriculture. I will be able to pay my rent but that's it.

"We will be looking continually at efficiencies. We'll be looking to try and increase revenue streams and cut costs. Our whole team understands that and we're going to have to work really, really hard to stand still.

That affects business owners but also affects team members.