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Andrew Elsden - stories, tales , rural and social and business issues past and present as I see them.
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Dec 5, 20243 min read
How Will President Trump View The Arsenal of Democracy?
As we enter 2025 this is the key question that the world is waiting for, especially in the Ukraine. The one thing we can rely upon with...
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Nov 23, 20245 min read
"Farmers can farm jam"
Recent events have reminded me of the words of Prime Minister Gladstone to struggling farmers in the 1880's. I will explain this further
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Nov 18, 20245 min read
Losers - Ag Property Relief on Inheritance Tax
In my last post on Inheritance tax I consider the losers and the loss of social structures and care that family businesses provide....
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Nov 17, 20243 min read
Inheritance Tax - The Experience
Here I explain the reality of inheritance tax . In 2007 I was outside my son’s school when I bumped into a local farmer – at least I...
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Nov 16, 20244 min read
Inheritance Tax “only the largest estates will be effected”.
Most farmers consider the statement a lie. Whether it is or not is to be proven. Here I examine a take on inheritance tax that may be a...
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Nov 15, 20244 min read
"Inheritance Tax will not affect Small Family Farms." What is a small family farm?
“Only the richest estates will pay – not small, family farms.” This is the repeated phrase parroted by the Chancellor and other Labour...
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Nov 14, 20243 min read
Farm Inheritance Tax Relief – It needed Reform but this is flawed.
My experience with Inheritance Tax and especially with Farm Inheritance Tax Relief is that it appears to be applied inconsistently and...
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Nov 13, 20245 min read
Farm Inheritance Tax - Not Just Land
In this second post I will demonstrate how inheritance tax can affect a tenant farmer by referring to a real life example from my past...
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Nov 12, 20247 min read
Business and Agricultural Property Relief Inheritance Tax Changes - email to my MP
In the Chancellor's Autumn budget of 2024 changes were made to Inheritance tax Relief that reduced this relief on the value of both...
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Sep 26, 202416 min read
Land Use, The Green Belt and the Abuse of Land Holdings
Every so often I share some writing that did not make the cut of Marsh Fen and Town. In this case I look at land use, how agricultural...
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Aug 22, 20249 min read
Sidebar - 1876 Harvest Past - A Lesson from History?
Every so often I publish material that did not make the script of “Marsh Fen and Town”. The following is exactly 148 years ago and will...
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Aug 15, 20244 min read
Sidebar – The Importance of Rare Breeds……. And their farmers.
The value of both rare breeds and those maintaining them is vastly underappreciated to the detriment of our food security.
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Jul 31, 20241 min read
Sidebar - Marsh Fen and Town - Ethics of Wildfowling
Today's post is a sidebar to my book Marsh Fen and Town, South Lincolnshire and Beyond - in this case a consideration of the ethics of...
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Jul 30, 20244 min read
Butterflies
If you wish a child to get interested in nature one of the most accessible areas for a child are insects. They are everywhere and with...
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May 23, 20241 min read
My Only Post Looking at the Coming General Election
My only purpose of this post is to make a simple prediction that will either be right or wrong. Labour will win the election, but it is...
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Jan 29, 20244 min read
The Courting of Agriculture by Fascists – a lesson from history.
In the 1930’s Oswald Mosely and his Fascists courted the farmers of East Anglia for their support. Perhaps as you read this you may...
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Sep 25, 20232 min read
Does a mature society need economic growth?
Whether a mature society needs economic growth is a complex question with no easy answer. There are a number of factors to consider,...
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Sep 18, 20234 min read
Grayson Perry - Superhero
Who is this super hero? Is it Sarge? No! Rosemary the telephone operator? No! Claire the mild mannered housewife? Could be! Grayson...
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Sep 6, 20231 min read
The Duty of a Public Journalist
Too often we see journalists vilified or criticised for doing their job, or not doing it. Like all professions there are good and bad....
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