Matt Baker makes stance clear on Labour’s farming tax raids as he risks BBC impartiality row: ‘Got to be careful!’
Farmer and BBC presenter Matt Baker struggled to bite his tongue as he talked about his stance on Labour’s farming tax raids on Wednesday.
The Countryfile star is contracted to remain impartial in line with the broadcaster, but Baker made no secret of his position on the issue – although he refrained from dishing out direct jibes towards Labour’s policy.
It came as the 47-year-old appeared on television on Wednesday to discuss the news series of his Channel 4 show, Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker.
Presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley couldn’t help but address the elephant in the room following months of protesting from farmers over Labour’s change to inheritance tax, which will affect farmers with assets worth more than £1m.
The controversial plans would impose a 20 per cent inheritance tax on agricultural businesses exceeding this threshold.
“The plight of the farmer at the moment… We’re seeing in the news all the time,” Shephard pointed out.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher and tougher, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Baker agreed, adding: “I mean I’ve always championed British farms as much as I possibly can, that’s why I do what I do and to make the shows that I do.”
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Touching on impartiality rules, he admitted: “You know, I’ve got to be careful with my BBC farming cap on as far as what I say is concerned but my opinions have never, ever changed.”
He went on: “You know, we desperately want a vibrant rural community going forward.
“Our farmers are producing our food, they’re looking after our landscape, it’s easy to look out the window and see our beautiful British countryside and forget that those farmers are the ones who are creating it.”
Continuing his passionate take, the presenter stated: “They’re producing our food, looking after our landscape and they deserve the most support of any industry.”
“So when the government changes inheritance tax laws regarding farms and the passing of farms to families that have been on that land for generations, and you can see the impact it has, how, as a farmer – and a farmer who’s on the land where your family are and all that sort stuff – how does that make you feel?” Shephard probed.
“Well, I’m a big believer in heritage and tradition and we do what we do because it works,” Baker shared.
Displaying subtle opposition to the government’s plan, he added: “And it’s tried and tested over the years so… you know.
“Farmers, all they want to do is provide for people and look out for folk and you know, look after our landscape and give people food.
“And I think that you know, you repay that with the support, and that’s really, I suppose, all I can say at the moment, it’s very difficult. But I support British farming and I’ve never changed my opinion on that.”
Baker is far from the only high-profile farmer to have spoken out in support of British farmers ever since Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced the changes in October’s Budget.
Emmerdale star-turned-farmer Kelvin Fletcher has also publicly decried the changes, as has Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host Clarkson even attended the farmers’ protest in Westminster last year to oppose Labour’s tax raids.