Interviewed in Brazil today he claimed his first job was working on a farm…scarecrow?
Anyway caught this ditty to the tune of the Kinks ..Dedicated follower of fashion …

They seek him here, they seek him there,
The farmers seek…him everywhere
He promised life would be much better if they vote for him
Now they’re all pursuing ‘followers’ of Starmer.

And when he turns up at their farm,
He wants them all to stay quite calm,
Eagerly promoting all of Labours crazy plans,
All the work off good old Wurzel Starmer

Farmers are always pleading poverty - must be awful having land and property worth well over million quid, that they might have to pay tax on- the poor buggers - I've not slept for worry!

Behave…it’s like being asset rich but cash poor….it’s only worth anything if the farmer flogs it like any business…..if they were that greedy they’d sell up and put their feet up….it’s a way of life that’s why it)s generational and handed down.
Of course we could always go the Stalinist route and nationalise it…result 3 million dead Ukrainians ( which is why they hate the Russians to this day).
.

In many cases they'd need to sell parts of the farm to pay the IHT. Their grievance could easily be resolved by giving relief from IHT if the farm is handed down within a family and only paid when and if its sold outwith that family.
The government are lying once more, why would they dig in if this would only affect a few farmers, the money raised wouldn't be worth the grief? The minister in charge of rural affairs pledged only 2 years ago that the APR would not be changed in any way yet here we are again, say one thing to get into power than shaft the people that put you there.
Like the WFA, impact assessment not done or hidden from scrutiny. 50000 pensioners brought into poverty as a result of withdrawal of WFA - the assessment has been released.
This budget is as disastrous for the UK as the Truss one in terms of the overall impact to the general population. Unemployment will rise, inflation will rise, poverty will rise, we'll all have less money to spend, economic growth will stall. It already feels like the dying months of a Labour government rather than the first 6 months. 14 years to plan and 6 months to prove total incompetence!

You have to ask the question…if it only effects a few farmers, then why were there thousands demonstrating….?
French farmers are kicking off again like the Dutch as the lovely EU is working on a deal with South American countries to import food from them, seems like a trend eh.
Also Starmer keeps going on about increased spending on agriculture but fails to mention a lot of it is a subsidy to re-wild farm land where they’re subsidised to take farm land out of production to become basically nature reserves…..talk about away with the fairies and this was also so under the Tories.
The same excuse is given for everything by saying the money is needed for the NHS, When what the NHS really needs is a massive cull of non medical office staff.

Just caught an interview on Sky news with Kay Burleigh interviewing a Labour Minister and it transpires that when questioned last November about these measures by farmers that a Labour shadow Minister refuted any changes would be brought in regarding inheritance loop holes if they came to power.

See one you tuber channel are selling tee shirts that are selling fast with this slogan on the front STUCK FARMER.

that might be a bit too subtle for some of its viewers.

so many have jumped on that statement without even knowing a farmer and have no idea about the industry. they also have a new off roader to drive etc. well where some of the farms are situated and their need for a new vehicle there options are more limited than ours.

Farmer Harmer Starmer.
Reeves and thieves springs to mind too.

It's an interesting one and not really got much of a firm opinion. On the face of it, seems the vast majority aren't affected and for the minority who are, why should they be any different from everyone else. Have read a number of articles from farmers who think it's good as it could allow young farmers to get access to land, while acknowledging the measures should be more nuanced. Like I say, I don't know enough about it really, there could well be genuine reasons why it's wrong.
I find it hard to have sympathy for Clarkson and others who bought land to avoid tax though. Just pay what you owe - your kids will still get plenty.

One of Britain's most inefficient industries. Other sectors have to plan carefully for IHT whereas farmers have gotten away with it. The rest of us have paid for their subsidies.

Having just said it's hard to have sympathies with Clarkson, his programme does shine a line on the difficulties in making it pay. Perhaps IHT isn't really the big issue, just the final straw. The whole food industry is maddening, for instance we're getting lamb from New Zealand, as far away as possible while sheep farmers are struggling here.

Agree that the subsidies side of things is mental - another industry that needs someone to take a step back and think again.

Don't know if anyone has read Matthew Syed's books like Black Box Thinking? It talks about the airline industry that went from being dangerous with however many deaths, to one of the safest ways to travel. Black box recorders were instrumental in finding out what went wrong and informing the industry about how to change. Point is, the recorders took old assumptions, defensiveness and emotion out of decisions. Farming, the NHS, etc all need reform but there is so much pride, attachment and emotion about the subject that it's almost impossible to make fundamental, long-term changes.

Inefficient….? ….what is your personal experience of the industry, tell me more.

He does operate it as a farm, so that’s a dead end argument…..by all means screw those people who buy farms and and do not use the land for farming but no one hammers the mega rich crowds loop holes who do this .
Easy to see if lands being used for farming without too much trouble..

Why shouldn't they pay inheritance tax?? Everyone else has to. And they pay 50% less than Everyone else. Whinging bastards!!!

Charty begins at HOME, And so should Compassion, And caring for YOUR population.

Would be interesting to know just how much the likes of Google etc pay into the British economy.
Cant upset the needy/greedy can we.

The Labour Party have done to farmers the same as they done with WFA, no thought has gone into it. There are some farmers struggling same as the pensioners but at one foul swoop everyone suffers one way or another.

they are not all having to pay it but many will be supporting the ones who do. people like clarkson should stay well out of it as it does not help any argument they have. many are family businesses that go back further than many do as citezans of this country and provide a service we all use. surely there should be exemptions for one sector of a community like there is on other subjects. how much anyway will the government get in the end from this once everything in what farmers can do is used to avoid it. funny when you have a good idea which party farmers actually vote for and its never labour either.

never forget amazon. remember there are other on line places you can get goods from and many cheaper.

hope those who are thinking of suicide go on strike or have a rally in london. then he might say that could be his next job if we are not careful.

I worked in a company linked to farming for 25 years

I supplied ships with navigation route charts but never went on board the ship….so did you ever actually work as a farmer…..just like I wasn’t the ships navigator.

Know a few farmers, some as good friends but the ins and outs of their operations never cease to amaze me. If they were in it purely for the money, as soon as Pop pops off the sale of the farm and its assets would probably set the Son up for life (in a lot of cases anyway) and yet very few take up that option.
I think it is fairly obvious the answer to that is because running the farm is bred into them and is a way of life. They are prepared to pick up the reins and carry on regardless, not really as owners as such but as guardians. All of a sudden telling them that, upon their father's death, thay have to stump up a considerable amount of money for the right to carry on is bound to pull them up in their tracks and make them think is it worth doing what we have got to do in order to run a farm when we can sell our farm and assetts and ride off into the sunset as it where.
As for this million pound threshold, there can't be many farms worth less than a million in assets these days. Some of the farm houses are worth at least a fair proportion of that.
I get the impression there is no off the shelf answer to this situation but it is becoming increasingly worrying that our new Government appears to want to charge gung ho into everything and anything and is putting tax at the forefront of their answer to all our woes. Tax and spend their same old worn out answer to everything. As was once said, Socialism is a wonderful idea until they run out of other people's money.

Making millions through a TV series on farming, while avoiding IHT... smart move for him.

To be fair, Poolie27 sounds like he'd know more about farming than someone who worked in ships.

fact is farming like travelling showmen with fairs are one of the few family businesses still left where ownership gets past on over generations. just wonder if they were companies with shareholders across the world would be looked at more favourably with even more loopholes and blind eye turning to their tax affairs.

Government are saying very few farms and farmers will be affected, so why bother?
Same as WFA can't understand how 4000 excess deaths or 50000 (this year) more pensioners will be in poverty affects real people.
Rachel hasn't got a clue and Starmer is simply following instructions from the wef and backing her.
Pre Labour economic growth was best in Europe and inflation was falling. Now with Labours biggest priority bring growth it appears they meant their wardrobes full of tax free clothes bought by others. We've gone from a slow train to hell to a bullet train to the same destination. On a daily basis this lot are proving they have neither the experience or the nous to understand the nations problems or how to address them.
Winter of discontent possible this year.

I spent years dealing with farmers and have friends in that profession and, like any other contact you only get to know so much. Their private affairs are like anybody else's.
Look at our connection to Hartlepool United, we only get to know what they condescend to tell us, the rest we make up, which is more fun ????
I have spent more time in pubs than prisons but I could give a fair run down on either.
Too many people take the view of "I know that as I deal with people within it". A little knowledge is dangerous as they say. My dentist deals with anybody and everybody but...............

Have you actually read into it or is this just a reflex action, you can still be a member of the Party but disagree.

Again you twist the point of the supplier knowing the farmers job…he was not a farmer but a supplier to the farmer because someone supplies you with something does not mean they know or understand the farmers job.
I order paint brushes, paints and canvas’s from an art supplier…doesn’t mean they can paint a painting….touche.

Snowy...I'm not a Member of the Labour Party now....stopped my membership after the Winter Fuel Payments fiasco.
But I stand by what I've said about the Farmers.

I used to think that way…but then experienced it and saw the other side….if they want to sell up they’ll be well off, but it’s a way of life you pass on.

But everyone else pays it so why shouldn't they??
And they are getting a 50% discount. A
And if they pass it on to their kids 7 years before they pass away they don't have to pay anything.
These are rules just for Farmers so why different for them?

I spent years dealing with farmers and have friends in that profession and, like any other contact you only get to know so much. Their private affairs are like anybody else's.
Look at our connection to Hartlepool United, we only get to know what they condescend to tell us, the rest we make up, which is more fun ????
I have spent more time in pubs than prisons but I could give a fair run down on either.
Too many people take the view of "I know that as I deal with people within it". A little knowledge is dangerous as they say. My dentist deals with anybody and everybody but...............[/quote]

It sounds like we need to shut the bunker down as people constantly have a view on things they aren't qualified in!
To be fair, even when they are qualified in a subject and have detailed insight it's still questioned. Down with experts! Ha.

It sounds like we need to shut the bunker down as people constantly have a view on things they aren't qualified in!
To be fair, even when they are qualified in a subject and have detailed insight it's still questioned. Down with experts! Ha.[/quote]

Seems you don’t like to challenged…so you think you can shut down those who have opposite views……you’d better tighten your belt, you really aren’t that important .

It's like Starmer and his cabinet cronies getting tax free "pressies" whilst normal plebs like waitresses have to declare their tips etc. as benefits in kind.
Or maybe the perks that illegal invaders get like free accomodation, food, clothing, bus passes etc while, according to the Government's own admission, there will be 50,000 pensioners entering the poverty trap this winter.
If the Government wish to put so called injustices relating to the IHT applied to farmers in the limelight, then why not start at the injustices this self styled caring Government are perpertrating. Lead by example Kier and friends.
We won't hold our breath.

Oh to be a train driver while Kier's here.
For to be a train driver means big bucks year by year.
..........................................A freezing pensioner.

It sounds like we need to shut the bunker down as people constantly have a view on things they aren't qualified in!
To be fair, even when they are qualified in a subject and have detailed insight it's still questioned. Down with experts! Ha.[/quote]

Mr Mikey, there are quite a few people in this big world of ours that would love to shut the bunker down but I can assure you quite categorically that I am not one of them.
However you do give me food for thought.

For someone on here 6 months suggesting we shut it down is a new record.

The idea that a parcel of land could be sold to pay for the death duties appears to be fraught with problems. What if the farmer next door doesn't want to buy. The problem could then be, who wants to buy a parcel of land with no access? I am all in favour of those with the 'broadest shoulders' bearing Labour's tax increases but they should accept that they have got this one wrong.

It sounds like we need to shut the bunker down as people constantly have a view on things they aren't qualified in!
To be fair, even when they are qualified in a subject and have detailed insight it's still questioned. Down with experts! Ha.[/quote]

Mr Mikey, there are quite a few people in this big world of ours that would love to shut the bunker down but I can assure you quite categorically that I am not one of them.
However you do give me food for thought.[/quote]

Likewise matey.
Long live the bunker - a constant source of wonder, bemusement, amusement!

What on earth are you even on about Derek?

Seems you don’t like to challenged…so you think you can shut down those who have opposite views……you’d better tighten your belt, you really aren’t that important . [/quote]

Again, what on earth are you on about? Things are said firmly tongue in cheek - I thought that might be obvious but alas.

Again, what on earth are you on about? Things are said firmly tongue in cheek - I thought that might be obvious but alas.[/quote]
Well that depends on how you word things…..you might be selling it as ‘tongue in cheek now’…but not then, so alas to you.

Exactly what it says on the can Julian. Doh.

I don't know much about farmers, so I'll quote the wisdom of my workshop supervisor Arthur (of many moons ago) at Deith Leisure in Reed Street.

Ya never see a farmer riding a fucking pushbike, do ya fatty...?

I struggled to argue with his home-spun philosophy back in the day, even though he often replaced farmers in the very same quote with doctors and betting-shop owners...

Mind, bikes are shit for pulling ploughs.

I would assume that to be true - but could easily be persuaded otherwise due to my knowledge of farming being akin to that of an Amish computer guru.

And Raleigh bikes might well be good for ploughing potatoes and baccy...

But you voted them in,Mutley...Now we have 5 years of Tax raids,Pension Pot raids,Inheritance snatches,Poverty,Pensioners breaking up their furniture to use as firewood to keep warm,Inflation rising....

It's no wonder you started going back to church on a Sunday ..You just enjoy your leg of lamb this weekend,a cut of meat most of us can't afford eh..


And we're sitting ducks for the Russian's now with the defence cuts..Thanks!!