THE Labour government’s plans to close inheritance tax loopholes are already having a “chilling effect” on farming and rural businesses in Scotland, First Minister John Swinney warned today.

Speaking ahead of his address to farmers at the AgriScot conference in Edinburgh, the SNP leader took aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans to levy 20 per cent inheritance tax on farming assets worth more than £1 million.

Stopping short of TV clown Jeremy Clarkson’s claims that the move could amount to “ethnic cleansing” of a countryside Labour planned to “nationalise,” Mr Swinney called on the UK government to “urgently” commit to publishing impact assessments of the proposals on farmers and crofters in Scotland.