A guest on Jeremy Kyle's TalkTV show Morning Glory has claimed he knows several farmers who have taken their own lives since the announcement of the agricultural interitance tax increases. Farmer Olly Harrison appeared on the show to discuss the gravity of the issue and appeared emotional as he explained the repercussions.

"You're going to destroy farming, and people are taking their lives. I know a five or six examples now," he warned the Prime Minister Keir Starmer. An astonished Kyle clarified: "You know situations where people have taken their lives because of this tax, which just to fill in to people just put it in layman's terms - if your farm's worth three million quid, what are they asking for?" Harrison explained: "If your farm's worth three million quid, it's £600,000. And if you imagine, if you're of an age where you've worked your whole life to provide for your children (because) no one owns a farm, you look after it for the next generation.

"If you've done that, and then, at this point now, by being alive after April, means that the government will take 20% of it, which makes it completely unsustainable.

"I mean, farming is on a knife edge as it is. So if that bill has to be paid, then suddenly the farms up for sale," he said.

The Government has faced an ongoing backlash for slapping inheritance tax on farms worth over £1 million in Chancellor Rachel Reeves's first budget, with the changes due to be implemented next April.

Starmer has steadfastly refused to drop the "cruel" tax raid on farmers despite the warnings that some may kill themselves.

Sir Keir suggested during a grilling by cross-party MPs that he was aware of the claims but insisted the changes were a "sensible reform". His comments reignited calls from opposition parties for ministers to ditch the move.

Tory Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins said: "I have repeatedly raised, both in the House of Commons and outside of it, the tragic stories shared with me about the human cost of this cruel tax.

"Keir Starmer cannot pretend he doesn't know the damage this will do to the lives and livelihoods of farmers.

"He must now keep his pre-election promise to farmers and axe this vindictive tax."