Business owner 'really scared' ahead of Budget

Murray Boss said trade with farmers had "dropped off massively"

An agricultural machinery business owner has said he is "really scared" ahead of the chancellor's Budget this week.

The government is set to unveil its plans for the economy on Wednesday with inheritance tax reforms set to be included.

Murray Boss, the director of Ace ATV in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, said his business with farmers had "dropped off massively" and was "almost to a standstill" due to the poor state of the agricultural economy.

The government has said the reforms to inheritance tax rules will raise £2bn to fund public services.

Mr Boss was speaking at a meet-up in Cathedral Square, in Worcester, which saw about 20 farmers attend with their tractors.

He said: "This isn't so much a protest, we're just trying to make the public aware and the MPs, the mess that they're getting the rural economy into.

"It doesn't just affect farmers, IHT (inheritance tax) will affect other businesses. It might not affect this generation but it might affect the next."

The gathering on Monday came before the 20 farmers stationed themselves on motorway bridges and busy road junctions along the M5 to raise awareness before the Budget.

'Backing farmers'

A government spokesperson said the reforms would safeguard public services while keeping inheritance tax fair - with three-quarters of estates paying nothing, and the rest paying half the usual rate, spread over 10 years interest‑free.

They added: "We are backing farmers with the largest nature‑friendly budget in history with over £2.7bn a year to grow their businesses, put more British food on our plates, and restore nature."

The government also said it was extending seasonal worker visas and protecting British produce in trade deals, as well as investing hundreds of millions of pounds in grants and biosecurity.