A Government U-turn on inheritance tax has been welcomed by West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin.
The change comes after concerns that family farms were being put at risk of being sold off due to inheritance tax changes.
The revised threshold now stands at £2.5 million per person, or £5 million for spouses, effectively safeguarding many smaller farms from the impact of the tax.
Dame Harriett said: "This is welcome news for the smaller farms in my constituency which were at direct threat of being hit by this pernicious tax change and forcing many families to consider ending farming altogether."
However, she warned that more action is needed to secure long-term protection for farmers.
She said: "This is one important first step, but we need many more to permanently end the threat to the farmers up and down the land who work so hard to put food on our tables.
"This is Christmas cheer to some, but the work is not yet done, and a Conservative Government would return to the original position to allow farming families security in their businesses for future generations.
"All eyes are now on the Chancellor to follow up on this announcement and show that the whole Labour Government cares about farming and the countryside and ends its political assault on rural England."
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