Scottish Conservatives' rural affairs spokesman Finlay Carson has launched a fresh attack on Sir Keir Starmer's record on farming, claiming the Prime Minister's handling of agricultural inheritance tax changes will leave a lasting legacy of distrust among rural communities.
Mr Carson's comments came following Starmer's decision to step down as Prime Minister and Labour party leader.
While wishing the Prime Minister and his family well, the Galloway and West Dumfries MSP said Sir Keir would be remembered by many in the farming sector for backing what opponents have labelled the 'family farm tax'.
Carson said: "For our farmers and rural communities he will go down as the Prime Minister who gave his full support to the hated family farm tax."
The Conservative MSP argued that Labour's subsequent changes to the policy did not go far enough to address concerns raised by farming organisations and industry representatives.
"His extremely belated U-turn simply did not go far enough and his changes to this tax are still having a devastating impact on the future of family farming across the United Kingdom," he said.
Carson also criticised the timing of the government's announcement on inheritance tax changes, claiming ministers sought to avoid scrutiny.
"It was a policy that confirmed he and his Labour government were completely out-of-touch with the needs of the industry, while their cowardice on the issue was summed up when they announced their partial U-turn two days before Christmas, knowing they wouldn't be scrutinised in Parliament."
Looking ahead, Carson said any future Labour leader must engage more closely with the agricultural sector.
"Whoever the next Labour Prime Minister is, and it looks as though that is going to be Andy Burnham, must listen to our farmers rather than imposing policies on them that don't work," he said.
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