"This being snuck out the day before Christmas Eve means that, of course, we haven't had chance to scrutinise this properly in parliament. It seems very odd that they have just snuck this out the day before Christmas Eve. And what is more, it was a secretary of state [Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary] that announced it, rather than the chancellor."
"The secretary of state just did a press clip yesterday. She's not even out on the [broadcast media] round today explaining her policy to the nation. So they're trying to sort of slip this under the radar once everybody else is distracted with Christmas preparation."
Ministers raised the inheritance tax threshold for inherited farmland from a planned £1m to £2.5m, announcing the change in an environment department press release two days before Christmas. Conservatives accused ministers of sneaking out the U-turn to avoid parliamentary scrutiny, with Victoria Atkins saying the timing prevented proper scrutiny and noting the announcement came from the environment secretary rather than the chancellor. The original plan would have taxed inherited agricultural assets over £1m at 20% and removed long-standing reliefs. Farmers, campaigners and some Labour MPs pressured the government, with protests in Westminster and reports that dozens of Labour MPs prepared to rebel.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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