THE MP for North Cornwall has called for the Labour government to scrap their “tax hike for farmers.”

Ben Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall has said that more 400 farms in North Cornwall could be hit by the “tractor tax” following the government’s decision to cut inheritance tax relief for farms, and is now calling on the government to scrap the tax hike on farms.

The government has previously said that 27 per cent of farms will be affected by the changes which cut the levels of inheritance tax relief for farmers in a move that Ben Maguire MP has said could ring the “death knell” for family farms in North Cornwall.

Mr Maguire has said that if 27 per cent of farms in North Cornwall were to be hit by these changes, 441 would be hit by the government’s “tractor tax”.

Mr Maguire added: “The government must scrap this disastrous tractor tax immediately or risk ringing the death knell for family farms in North Cornwall.

“For years, our local farmers have been forced to endure botched trade deals and cuts to their incomes due to the Conservative Party’s shameful neglect of rural communities.

“The new government’s tax hike will come as yet another hammer blow for farmers.

“The Chancellor should urgently reverse course, scrap the tractor tax and take up the Liberal Democrat proposals to give farmers an additional £1-billion a year in support.”