Labour’s inheritance tax plans were met with a protests, which saw tractors parade around Westminster - Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty ImagesBritain lost a record number of farms and other rural businesses last year as Labour launched an assault on the countryside. It comes as the Government faces growing criticism over its treatment of rural communities after launching an inheritance tax raid on farmers and announcing plans to ban trail hunting. Sir Keir Starmer later watered down the plans following a backlash from rural voters, but critics said the latest data on farming closures were “deeply worrying”. He said this was because rural communities are “very often the ones that are feeding us every day”. Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers’ Union, said rural businesses are under “unrelenting pressure”.