A SOUTH Scotland MSP is worried that Labour's new tax will deliver a 'devastating' blow to family farms across Ayrshire.

Sharon Dowey has criticised the 'family farm tax', announced in the budget by Labour's chancellor Rachel Reeves.

She has slammed the decision and says the changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief will hit family farms hard.

In response, the Conservatives have launched a petition at stopthefarmtax.com, urging Labour to make a U-turn.

The South Scotland MSP claims Labour have "shamefully" broken their promise to farmers, after then-DEFRA secretary Steve Reed said last year that his party had no plans to change agricultural property relief.

Ms Dowey believes the changes highlight how Labour are "completely disconnected" from the realities faced by farmers and rural communities.

She also thinks Labour have shown a lack of interest in supporting farmers' interests and have put future food production at risk if family farms can't be passed down to future generations.

She said: "Labour’s family farm tax will be devastating for family farms across Ayrshire.

"The changes introduced by the chancellor show how disconnected Labour are from the sector and the needs of farmers, who are already facing major challenges.

"Labour said last year that they were not planning any changes to agricultural property relief. Now they have shamefully broken their promise made to farmers.

"That is why the Conservatives have launched a petition urging Labour to U-turn. I encourage everyone across Ayrshire to sign it and send Labour the strongest possible message.

"Labour are clearly not interested in supporting farmers and those who simply want to pass down their family farm to the next generation.

"I will continue to stand up for farmers in Ayrshire to force Labour into reversing this awful decision, which could spell the end for family farms."

SNP finance secretary Shona Robison said: “It is disappointing that this settlement will penalise Scottish farming and fishing industries by failing to reverse the real terms cuts of previous years, nor providing the multi-year certainty they require and which was lost with Brexit.

"This short-term settlement was imposed contrary to the Bew Review recommendation for collective engagement to agree the principles of future intra-UK allocations.

"The UK Government must now set out how and when this meaningful engagement will take place in order to inform the UK Spending Review process.

“While APR is reserved to the UK Government, given the obvious and understandable alarm that has been expressed by farmers about the chilling impact of this on farming communities, this significant tax increase is a serious concern.”

Reeves said the government was having to make very difficult choices to "fix Britain’s foundations", but insisted the changes would affect only the wealthiest farmers.