Farmer blasts Budget as 'insult to workers'

A FOURTH-GENERATION farmer has branded Rachel Reeves's Budget an "insult to working people".

- By Steph Spyro

Michael Dart, who runs Darts Farm near Exeter, Devon, with his two brothers, spoke of the toll of National Insurance and minimum wage rises, alongside cuts to business rate relief.

These are on top of agricultural and business property relief changes - as well as inflation.

In her first Budget speech in October, the Chancellor said "working people" would not see an increase in income tax, NI or VAT, fulfilling Labour's promise at the general election.

Instead, employers saw an increase in NI contributions on their workers' earnings which will raise up to £25billion a year.

However, Mr Dart, whose family have been freehold farmers since 1600, said: "The worst part of all of this is that anyone who knows our business normally says to us brothers 'you work too hard'. We're certainly described as workers. When Rachel Reeves said the Budget wouldn't impact working people, I think it was an insult to hardworking employers not to be described as a 'working person'.