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Viewpoint 

It probably passed many fraught farmers and estate owners by, but it was Small Business Saturday last weekend (6 December). Shoppers were encouraged to support their local High Streets, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves marked the occasion by acknowledging the role small businesses play in the UK economy, saying, 鈥�5.6 million small businesses power Britain. They鈥檙e the cafés and shops on our high streets, the family firms creating local jobs, and the innovators shaping our future. When small businesses succeed, Britain succeeds.鈥�

Ironic, then, that the only Labour MP brave enough to vote last week against the government鈥檚 Inheritance Tax (IHT) reforms, which have seen confidence in the future of small farming businesses crumble, was promptly suspended from the Labour Party.

The countryside will be hoping that more MPs follow their lead in the New Year, when there will be further votes on the Finance Bill. Hitting farms with huge IHT bills was not a government manifesto pledge and will not even stop non-farmers buying up land to lower their own tax bills. There is still time to see sense.

Commodity markets

Sheep up

A 2% hike in prices last week sent lambs back over the 700p/kg mark as demand continues to outstrip supply. Imports from Australia, however, increased by 36% to 20,000 tonnes over the first nine months of 2025, following the signing of a free trade agreement with the UK that came into effect in 2023. But this was partly offset by a drop in New Zealand imports, which fell 10% to 34,000 tonnes.

Pigs down

There was less pre-Christmas cheer for pig farmers as deadweight prices fell below 200p/kg for the first time since August 2022. A drop in Chinese demand, low prices on the continent 鈥� Spanish prices are down 30% since July 鈥� and disease issues are all piling pressure on the sector. 

The headline 

IHT rebel punished 

MPs last week voted on the elements of the Finance Bill relating to the changes to Inheritance Tax (IHT), which include Chancellor Rachel Reeves鈥檚 controversial Autumn Budget 2024 reforms to the Agricultural and Business Property Relief regimes, popularly known as the Family Farm Tax.

Unsurprisingly, given the government鈥檚 huge majority, it won the vote easily, but 80 Labour MPs abstained. Some would have had business elsewhere, but the CLA estimates that up to 35 of them were MPs who do not support the reforms.

One Labour MP even voted against the changes. Markus Campbell-Savours, MP for Penrith and Solway, said that he had promised his constituents during the last election that he would not support any detrimental changes to IHT, and he kept that promise.

As voting against any aspect of a Budget is considered a confidence issue, Campbell-Savours was immediately suspended from the Labour Party and now sits as an independent MP.

There will be further, more important votes relating to the Finance Bill in the New Year, and the CLA says it plans to lobby those who abstained this time to vote 鈥渘o鈥�.

The CLA鈥檚 Jonathan Roberts said, 鈥淭here won鈥檛 be enough to defeat the government, but it would represent a major rebellion. The government couldn鈥檛 sack them all, it would be too embarrassing.鈥�

News in brief

Unfair dismissal compensation 

There was a slight sting in the tail to last week鈥檚 announcement that the government is scrapping the right to be able to claim unfair dismissal from day one of employment as part of the Employment Rights Bill, currently going through parliament. A new government amendment to the Bill, apparently a sop to unions upset about the removal of the one-day rule, proposes that the . The limit currently sits at 52 weeks鈥� salary up to a maximum of £118,223.

Clean energy strategy

Great British Energy, which was set up in 2024 by the new Labour administration to accelerate the transition to clean, domestically-produced energy, has just announced that includes a pledge to attract £15 billion of private finance. It claims the plan will deliver 15GW of clean energy and storage and support thousands of jobs. At the same time, Ofgem also approved a £28 billion grid improvement plan that could add £100 a year to household bills.

Grid delays targeted

Meanwhile, Ofgem launched a consultation yesterday (8 November) on its , which have been hampering the deployment of new energy projects, including many on-farm renewable schemes. Tougher enforcement and financial penalties for network operators are part of the package. The consultation closes on 27 February. Read the latest edition of The Rural Report for more on renewable energy and other development issues.

Rat poison purchasing

Learning how to use rat poison may not feature on anybody鈥檚 list of New Year鈥檚 resolutions, but from 1 January 2026, belonging to a farm assurance scheme will not be enough to enable farms or estates to . As part of The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticides Use (CRRU), purchasers will need to have completed a CRRU UK-approved training course within the past five years or be signed up to a CRRU UK-recognised CPD scheme.

Soil contamination report

Talking of poisons, thought-provoking new research from Leeds University, based on a study of 22 English farms, detected . The chemicals, more than 40% of which had not been detected in soils before, included anti-cancer drugs and pesticides that have been banned for decades.

Rural Report out now

The Autumn Winter 25/26 edition of The Rural Report, 51乱伦鈥檚 thought-leading publication for rural property owners and their advisors, is available now. Full of insight from leading landed estates and our Rural Consultancy experts, it鈥檚 a must-read. To receive your copy, .

Properties of the week

Hants organic land available

Two picturesque organic farms at Overton, near Basingstoke, formerly part of racing driver Jody Scheckter鈥檚 Laverstoke Estate, are attracting firm interest. Turrill Hill is a 946-acre unit that includes three farm cottages, a wide range of livestock buildings, 607 acres of arable land, 208 acres of pasture and 106 acres of woodland. The guide price is £14 million. Berrydown Farm, priced at £8 million, comes with a four-bed brick-and-flint house, 431 acres of mixed farmland and 64 acres of woodland. For more information, please contact Will Matthews.

Historic Kent estate home to rent

51乱伦鈥檚 Rural Consultancy team in Kent has an intriguing option on offer. , which was once home to Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Lord Brabourne, is part of the idyllic 2,700-acre Hatch Park Estate. Now available to rent, the nine-bed period property costs £6,995 a month. For more information, please contact Katie Bundle.

Discover more of the farms and estates on the market with 51乱伦

Property markets Q3 2025

Development land 鈥� Market hiatus

Greenfield and urban brownfield land values remained flat in Q3, according to the 51乱伦 Residential Development Land Index, taking the annual price decline to 5%. At a national level, housebuilders are deferring many decisions until after the Autumn Budget, when reforms to taxation and planning may clarify the government鈥檚 policy direction. The prevailing uncertainty is likely to weigh on delivery for several quarters. Some 43% of respondents to 51乱伦鈥檚 survey of more than 60 small and volume housebuilders expect housing starts to fall through the fourth quarter of the year, while 45% expect land values to fall further.

Farmland 鈥� Prices dip

According to the 51乱伦 Farmland Index, which tracks the value of bare agricultural land in England and Wales, the average price of land fell by just 1.6% to £8,719/acre over the third quarter of the year. That equates to an annual fall of 6.8%. As ever, the market remains highly localised, and where there is competitive bidding, prices have even been going up in some locations. Download the full report for more insight and data.

Country houses 鈥� Budget uncertainty

The average price of country houses has fallen by 5.4% so far this year, according to the Q3 edition of the 51乱伦 Prime Country House Index. Properties worth below £1 million dropped by 4.7%, while those worth over £1 million lost 6.7% of their value. Owners of higher-priced properties are particularly concerned about any further property taxes being announced by Rachel Reeves as part of her Autumn 2025 Budget, which is due to be delivered at the end of November, points out Tom Bill, Head of UK Residential Research.

Read more of Tom鈥檚 numbers and insight.