Support for Labor has fallen to a new post-election record amid a backlash over plans to tax farmers, a new poll showed today.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party now trails the Tories by three points – and just six ahead of Reform – by two points on 25% after a week of battle over its plan to make farmers pay low inheritance tax.
It marks a dramatic drop from the post-election high of 39 percent, which gave it an 11-point lead over the Conservatives.
A second poll shows that almost three-quarters of voters now believe Britain has become worse under Sir Keir’s leadership.
The More in Common surveys were conducted between November 19 and 21, amid the fallout from Tuesday’s protests in Westminster led by TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is now three points behind the Tories – and just six ahead of Reform – on 25% after a week of battle over its plan to make farmers pay low inheritance tax.
The More in Common surveys were conducted between November 19 and 21, amid the fallout from Tuesday’s protests in Westminster led by TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson.
Last night Environment Secretary Steve Reed yesterday claimed he understood the “anxiety” caused by his seizure of inheritance tax on family farms – but refused to apologise.
Mr Reed told a meeting of farmers that the 20 per cent levy was needed to pay for a ‘£22 billion black hole’ in the public finances left by the previous government.
Farmers say they will be forced to sell their farms to pay the bills.
But the decision to impose the levy on farmers comes as inheritance tax receipts to the government have reached record levels.
HM Revenue and Customs said the Treasury has received inheritance tax payments worth £5 billion in the past seven months – £0.5 billion more than this time last year.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw speaks during a mass lobby of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) at Church House
Thousands of farmers attended a meeting in London on Tuesday to express their anger at what they say will mean family farms will have to be sold to pay inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.
When asked at a press conference whether he would apologize for the “frustration and anxiety caused to older farmers”, Mr Reed said: “It is difficult to regret that we have damaged the economy and public services of this country made it work again.’
Mr Reed told the conference: ‘I don’t pretend these decisions are easy.’
In a speech, Mr Reed said he was “struck” by how many people described the budget issues that brought them to the streets of London on Tuesday as “the last straw”.
‘These straws have been piling up for decades now, the frustrations of rural communities in Britain who feel misunderstood, neglected and downright disrespected.
“This isn’t just about taxes or even agriculture, as important as those things are, it’s about an entire community demanding to be treated with respect.”
And he said: ‘I heard the fear from the countryside on the streets of London earlier this week.
‘We may disagree on changes to inheritance tax, but this government is determined to listen to rural Britain and put an end to its long decline.’
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