Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour has issued her requests of the Chancellor ahead of the Budget

Somerset MP issues ‘Rachel’s Requests’ ahead of next week’s Budget…

Paul JonesNovember 20, 20250 Comment0

MINEHEAD MP Rachel Gilmour has issued a wish list ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget next week.

With less than a week before the Chancellor unveils her financial plans, Somerset Liberal Democrat MP Mrs Gilmour has put in ‘Rachel’s Requests’ from the Treasury.

In a pack put together by Mrs Gilmour, the MP has asked the Chancellor to consider the following:

Rethink the Family Farm Tax – highlighting how the Government’s inheritance tax changes will mean that “thousands of family farms across the country will be hit by a cut to their income now, and further taxation on succession”.
Reduce VAT by 5% for hospitality businesses – Mrs Gilmour is backing Liberal Democrat plans to cut VAT from 20% to 15% to “drive economic growth and help restore our high streets”.
Cut VAT for community interest companies (CICs) providing dementia care – Tiverton and Minehead’s MP has been working with dementia care service provider The Filo Project to cut VAT on dementia care, as well as other specialist care.
Government funding and a strategy to address a national SEND crisis – After holding SEND roundtables, the MP said “local authorities lack the funding and resources to effectively deal with the number of children with SEND”.
Real terms increase in environmental protection funding – According to figures from Prospect and DEFRA, since 2010 there has been a real-terms funding cut of one third to the Environment Agency’s environmental protection funding, and Mrs Gilmour wants an increase in funding “to help tackle water pollution, improve biodiversity, and better regulate spills”.

“It has been a challenging time for many in the constituency, and I hope that next week the Government will address some of the major issues to help move our region, and our country, forward,” the MP said.

“Last year, the Chancellor failed to mention the South West in the Budget. Tiverton and Minehead cannot be ignored again.”