Inheritance tax on the farming industry:

It is estimated far more than 50 per cent of farmers voted for Brexit and an even greater percentage voted for the Tories.

Yet the first thing they want to do (together with the facade created by the right-wing press) is blame the present Labour Government for destroying their industry (albeit a small percentage of the larger farms) with an inheritance tax.

Let's look at what their vote for Brexit and 14 years of Tory mismanagement has already cost farming:

The loss of a very strong farming lobby in Europe.

The loss of a generous subsidy regime.

The loss of European markets.

The loss of a farm workforce.

Greater difficulty exporting livestock.

Greater difficulty exporting dairy products.

A government willing to sacrifice the industry with damaging trade deals forcing down prices.

A complete failure to implement agreed import controls because they would increase prices in the UK marketplace (which in itself would have benefited UK farming with improved prices).

Most of my working life was spent selling products to farmers.

I enjoyed the cut and thrust.

Like all businessmen, they always held out for the best price.

Unfortunately, this time they paid a high price for the wrong products.

Both the Tory Party and Brexit brought British farming to its knees.

And yet, once again, we all have to pay for the disasters they both inflicted on this country.

Derek Sturch
Honiton