AN Exmoor farmer’s petition against Labour’s ‘family farm tax’ has quickly topped 100,000 signatures.

James Wright, who is also chairman of the South West Conservative Rural Forum, is part of a national campaign to oppose the Labour Government’s controversial Budget measures to introduce inheritance tax on farmland (IHT) and a new ‘job tax’.

Mr Wright said the Government was threatening the survival of Britain’s countryside and food security.

Rural businesses fear the new taxes will cripple the agricultural and the countryside hospitality sectors.

Mr Wright, who attended a recent London mass protest against the Budget, warned of ‘devastating consequences’.

He said: “Labour have got their sums wrong because they do not understand the countryside.

“These IHT changes will not just destroy family farms, they will put Britain’s food security at risk and leave rural communities at risk of collapse.

“Farmers are already battling rising costs and regulatory pressures.

“This tax grab will push many over the edge, forcing farms to close and robbing future generations of the ability to carry on their family’s legacy.

“The countryside is more than a source of food, it is the heart of our nation’s identity and culture.

“Labour’s careless policies could irreversibly damage it.

“This is why we are fighting back, and it is why over 100,000 people have joined our call to stop this disastrous farm tax.”

Mr Wright’s petition is hosted at StopTheFarmTax.com and has been supported by people from across the country who are concerned about the future of Britain’s countryside.