Ever a keen gardener, earlier this year I put a bid in for a small field a few miles from where I live, with the intention of creating a smallholding, something that has been a long-held ambition of mine. At over £10,000 an acre, it was already well above what would have been a reasonable asking price even just a few years ago. Numerous other parties were interested, and I was outbid – I have no idea by how much.

Land demand

Competition for rural land has forced prices up – this has been the case for a long time, not least from hobby gardeners like myself, from horse owners, etc. There is, in particular, also a significant swathe of demand from wealthy people looking to avoid what feels like punitive inheritance tax levels. Again, this has been the case for decades.

More recently, population increase has added to the demand for housing development. This is coupled with the relentless drive towards net zero, both as companies seek to offset their carbon emissions, and to build vast wind and solar farms. Therefore, the current very high value of agricultural land bears no relation to the profit that can be made on it through farming.

... the Labour government has backtracked on this promise, leading to great anger in the farming community.

Currently, farmers can pass on their farms to family members inheritance tax free. But having determinedly assured farmers pre-election that there was no intention to change this exemption (Agricultural Property Relief), the Labour government has backtracked on this promise, leading to great anger in the farming community.

Farming struggles

The fact is, farming is asset rich – but income is poor. Anyone who has watched Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm will have seen the struggles of Jeremy Clarkson and his now famous sidekick Kaleb Cooper to turn even a small profit. Clarkson, is, of course, wealthy in his own right, with his farming activities subsidised by his TV appearances. But he makes no bones of highlighting the challenges that his neighbours and fellow farmers face, working all hours on their farms to scrape together enough to keep going in the job they love.

Inheritance tax is set to be paid on land and other assets (not the main dwelling) over £1,000,000 – this is based on individuals; spouses can apparently together pass on twice that amount, though even this doesn’t appear to be straightforward. The issue is, many farms are worth much more than this on paper, ensuring that they will have to come up with a significant payment to HMRC on the death of the owner. (And as anyone who has dealt with HMRC will know, this is not a straightforward task with a sympathetic agency!)

There is a significant worry that to circumvent the new laws, some elderly farmers may choose to commit suicide to pre-empt the new tax before it comes into effect.

Whilst some may find ways around it – putting more land into environmental schemes, leasing land to solar companies to make more money, etc, many farming families will have to sell parcels of land to pay the tax (thus making it much harder for the next generation to make ends meet. There is a significant worry that to circumvent the new laws, some elderly farmers may choose to commit suicide to pre-empt the new tax before it comes into effect – one has apparently already done this. One farmer joked to his son that committing suicide before the looming deadline would be the single most profitable thing that he could do.

In theory, the tax should bring down the price of land somewhat. However, in practice, when it comes to the purchase of land, solar companies, who enjoy government favour, are able to pay much more than most others, keeping the upward pressure on prices.

Hidden agenda

Naturally, the effect of this tax raid on farmers could hit our food security – which is already at an all-time low, making us much more dependent on imports, and this during a period of global insecurity. That’s before we consider the impact of industrial action – including a potentially highly damaging strike on selling food by angry agriculturalists.

The question is, is the Labour government really that stupid, or is there a hidden agenda? It seems clear to me what this hidden, unstated agenda might be – to cover our countryside in solar panels and pylons. To achieve net zero emissions by 2030, as the government is pushing for, will require vast swathes of our land to be dedicated to this mission – and huge investments in infrastructure. Already, the renewable energy companies are eyeing up the land that may become available in the near future (many farmers, after all, are past normal retirement age.)

To achieve net zero emissions by 2030, as the government is pushing for, will require vast swathes of our land to be dedicated to this mission

Despite promising not to increase taxes for ‘working people’, and giving the impression that, in the main, they were just going to do better with the tax income already coming in, Rachel Reeves has announced huge tax and borrowing increases to fill a mostly self-inflicted ‘black hole’ in the finances and to invest in infrastructure. To be sure, investment is needed. However, plans were already ditched for proposed improvements to the A303 around Stonehenge to ease congestion and thus boost economic growth in Wiltshire – so that gives us an indication where the priorities lie.

So, it is apparent that all investment outside of the NHS is intended to rapidly further the net zero agenda – despite the huge costs that will fall on consumers and on our countryside (not to mention the environmental and human costs involved in the production of solar panels and battery backup, which will be harder to mitigate with a rapid rollout).

Bleak prospect

There is no reason why solar power can’t form a greater part of our energy infrastructure, if it’s done right. My husband and I love the solar panels on our roof, which we installed fifteen years ago. And I was delighted to see the project at the MetroCentre, the vast retail complex in Gateshead, where I now can park under one of the many solar roofs – a perfect use of the space which supplies the attraction with much of its energy needs.

There is no reason why solar power can’t form a greater part of our energy infrastructure, if it’s done right.

But the current rapid expansion looks set to massively increase energy costs, diminish our food security (as well as the beauty of our green and pleasant land), and, most likely, bring blackouts whenever the weather conditions are not conducive to electricity production.

Coupled with a budget that has pushed up borrowing costs, that threatens businesses with closure and contraction due to the increased cost of employing staff, and inhibits ambition, our prospects look bleak.

Many people – not least within this ministry – have long been predicting major problems ahead. Earlier this summer, I was quietly optimistic that a Labour government wouldn’t be too bad – they had, after all, got rid of Jeremy Corbyn and the extreme left-wing and antisemitic faction. Now, however, I can see where the coming economic collapse is likely to come from – a self-inflicted wound of economic incompetence (or wilful, idealogical destruction).

Now, however, I can see where the coming economic collapse is likely to come from – a self-inflicted wound of economic incompetence (or wilful, idealogical destruction).

Trust in Him alone

In worsening situations, people always look to a scapegoat. Is this the time when the increasing pressure on Christians in regard to various social issues will turn nasty?

As always, whilst we are aware of potential significant challenges around the corner, we must ensure that our faith is not in money, in government, or in the structures that we have come to rely on.

We must deepen our faith in the One who holds our lives in the palm of His hand – asking Him for wisdom, and strength, and the power to live His way through good times and bad.