Government is 'deluded' over family farm tax raid

FARMER Mark Weekes, 60, called the Government “deluded” over the cap on inheritance tax exemption announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October.

- By Adam Toms

His 32-year-old son may be the last to operate the family farm in Barnstable, Devon, in the same way after five generations.

“I suppose you could say it’s not my problem, because I won't be here,” Mark told the Express. “But it is, because the whole thing with farming is you want to hand it on.”

He added: “They’re absolutely deluded. I can understand why the general public doesn't quite get it, because they'll look at it and go, ‘Well you've been given a £1million allowance, that sounds like a lot of money’.

“But ultimately, £1million is just a mere snip compared with what our assets are.”

Michael Dart, 57, the owner of Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon — home to a farm shop rated as the nation’s best - is already paying up to £250,000 a year because of national insurance and national living wage hikes.