Cumbria’s Labour MPs have voted down a Conservative motion after a debate on farmers inheritance tax with one calling it “a frankly irrelevant motion.”

In an Opposition Day motion the Conservatives brought the question of farmers inheritance tax back to the House of Commons.

In the debate Liberal Democrat Tim Farron spoke extensively stating his ‘privilege to speak on behalf’ of farmers in Westmorland and Lonsdale and that “the tone of the debate—not just today, but over the last few months—has suggested that politicians do not value farmers.”

He explained the reasoning why British farming is seen as a gold standard saying: “It is true that they really are the best in the world, and that is because the way in which our farming economy is structured is based on the family farm.

“Family farming makes a difference because it has close husbandry, higher environmental standards, higher welfare standards and better quality produce. It is not an accident that British farming is the best in the world.”

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale also laid the blame for the ‘attack’ on British farming that did not start on July 4 at the Conservative Party’s feet citing the “botched transition from the old farm payment scheme to the new one” and the £350 million ‘underspend’ from them.

He provided an example from his constituency: “One hill farmer I spoke to just last month told me that, as a consequence of the transition, he will lose £40,000 a year in basic payment.

“To replace it, he will gain £14,000 under the sustainable farming incentive. By the way, it cost him £6,000 to go through a land agent in order to get it in the first place.”

Continuing he took aim at the new scheme that had been brought in ‘far too slowly’ and ‘made it very difficult’ for farmers to access except the big farmers who had land agents.

When asked by Ben Maguire MP about a working farm test Tim Farron agreed and then clarified his position saying there could be a ‘working farm exemption’ or ‘consider putting people who are not active farmers under the HMRC microscope instead.’

Tom Farron finished his contribution with a powerful sentiment: “It is the vocation of farmers to save our planet and to feed our country. The least we can do is give them the value and the future they deserve.”

Penrith and Solway MP Markus Campbell-Savours spoke during the debate saying: “I am surprised that we are debating this issue in this way today. As the Opposition know, the agricultural property relief measures announced in the Budget were not included in the Budget vote last month.”

He also called out the social media campaign saying: “This decision is simply not being made today, despite the disingenuous social media posts that imply otherwise.”

He carried on to clarify his position on the issue “if today was the real vote, I would vote against the Government’s plans.

“I am no rebel—I am a moderate—but during the election, I read what I thought were assurances from my party that we had no plans to introduce changes to APR. On that basis, I reassured farmers in my constituency that we would not, and now I simply am not prepared to break my word.

“I am told that there is no Labour MP in the country with as many farms as I have in Penrith and Solway, and I hope my colleagues will understand my feelings on this.”

Markus Campbell-Savours then went on the offensive “we are debating a frankly irrelevant motion from the Conservatives. The motion fails to acknowledge how they failed to deliver for my farmers, how they failed to deliver on trade deals after Brexit, and how they set budgets for new rural payment schemes, but could not make the schemes accessible.

“They made manifesto commitments for the public sector to buy British that never materialised, and they failed to spend flood prevention money that is desperately needed by my farmers on the Solway plain. They failed to deliver reforms of inheritance tax rules that farmers know were being abused by non-farmers at their expense.

“I simply will not walk into a Lobby with people who talk a good game on farming but do not deliver. Their motion starts with the words, ‘That this House regrets’, yet 14 years of failure do not even get a whisper.”

Taking to social media Michelle Scrogham wrote: “The debate called by the Conservatives today on Agricultural Property Relief is nothing more than political opportunism and is a side-show from the work that I and other MPs representing rural constituencies are doing to ensure that our farmers are properly supported.

“I do get why farmers are worried – I’ve been meeting with many of them and understand they have a range of concerns and challenges, many of which date back many years from before this current Government.

“This government is working to support Britain’s farmers and have committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – the largest budget for sustainable food production in history.

“I will be working hard to make sure our farmers’ voices are heard as the Government puts together its transformative 25-year farming roadmap which is the first time that farming in this country will have such a long-term plan.

“I understand the particular concerns about changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR).

“However, the vast majority of those claiming relief will not be affected and those who are will still be able to pass on up to £3m free of inheritance tax with anything beyond that taxed at half the rate paid by everyone else with payments spread over ten years. I will continue to push for changes to make this change work as it is meant to – supporting small and family owned farms.

“For example, I believe that it is right that we work with farmers over a certain age for whom succession planning could be a challenge ahead of changes.I will continue to listen to local farmers and to be a strong voice for them and their interests.”