Opposition Day: Farming and food security

What happened: The House of Commons voted on 8 October 2024 on an opposition day motion (a debate and vote brought by the opposition parties rather than the government) criticising the government's farming policies. The motion focused on agricultural inheritance tax changes and food security concerns. The motion was defeated by 359 votes to 187, with the government's majority holding comfortably.

Why it matters: The motion centred on proposed changes to agricultural property relief, a form of inheritance tax protection that has long shielded farmland from being taxed when passed between generations. Critics argued the changes threaten family farms and food production, since farmers with land-rich but income-poor businesses may be forced to sell land to meet tax bills. Food security was also raised as a broader concern, with opponents of the government's approach warning that weakening farm viability could reduce domestic food production.

The politics: The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 317 Labour MPs and 36 Labour and Co-operative MPs voted against the motion, while Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and all smaller parties including the DUP, Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, and the Ulster Unionist Party voted in favour. There were no notable cross-party rebels on either side. The motion reflects an early fault line between the new Labour government and rural and farming communities, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats finding common cause in opposing what they characterise as damaging agricultural taxation policy.