A Labour member had their party privileges suspended today for going against the government in a Budget vote. Markus Campbell-Savours, the MP for Penrith and Solway, opposed the proposal to apply inheritance tax to farmers on Tuesday evening. He expressed his dedication to his community in the House of Commons, stating that the changes would have a devastating impact on many farmers and their family-owned farms.
During the previous general election, Campbell-Savours had assured farmers in his constituency that Agricultural Property Relief, which lessens the tax burden on farm owners when passing on their land, would remain untouched. He highlighted ongoing concerns about the proposed alterations to agricultural property relief, emphasizing the distress it would cause to elderly farmers and those yet to make arrangements for asset transfers.
Having received reassurances from Labour candidates based on prior public commitments, Campbell-Savours decided to vote against the Budget resolution to implement the changes. He expressed his commitment to standing by his word and serving his community to the best of his ability.
Following his decision to vote against the government, Campbell-Savours was promptly notified by Labour’s Chief Whip, Jonathan Reynolds, that he was losing the party whip. Notably, at the previous year’s Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves had introduced reforms to Agricultural Property Relief, which faced significant opposition from farmers. In the recent Budget announcement, Reeves also disclosed that any unused portion of the relief up to £1 million would be transferable between spouses and civil partners.
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