'Farmers mired in mud, red tape, crippling costs and unfair competition'

FARMERS are facing a "perfect storm" of challenges following Labour's inheritance tax raid, MPs and campaigners have warned.

- Steph Spyro

Rising energy costs, record wet weather, Rachel Reeves' IHT announcements and subsidy changes risk destroying the sector.

The Chancellor announced IHT reforms last month that mean farmers will pay a 20% levy on land and property they inherit worth more than £1million.

The Daily Express crusade Save Britain's Family Farms is demanding a U-turn on this.

Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, who represents North Shropshire, believes it is just one factor hitting farmers hard.

She said: "Farmers are facing a perfect storm of challenges.

Uncertainty

"[They are] skyrocketing energy costs, trade deals that undercut British producers, record wet weather and a botched transition from the Basic Payment Scheme (finance for farmers who carried out eligible agricultural activities that were replaced by delinked payments in January this year).