Reform, led by Kemi Badenoch, has ruled out abolishing the inheritance tax, calling the Conservative Party "out of touch" for considering such a move during a cost-of-living crisis. Robert Jenrick, Reform's chosen Chancellor, admitted that the 40% levy on estates is unpopular but argued against scrapping it by emphasizing the need to prioritize relief for low-income workers instead of reducing taxes for wealthy individuals. He highlighted the moral implications of cutting inheritance tax at a time when many are struggling financially.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Reform, a political party in the UK, has ruled out abolishing inheritance tax, criticizing the Tories for considering such a move as "out of touch." Robert Jenrick, Reform's chosen Chancellor candidate, acknowledged that the 40% levy on deceased estates is unpopular but morally wrong to cut during a cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch may announce plans to abolish inheritance tax at the party's annual conference next month. This move could mirror a similar pledge made by Shadow Chancellor George Osborne in 2007, which helped prevent a snap election. Conservative sources emphasize that the plan is still under discussion and would only be confirmed if it can be fully costed.
Written for “UK Inheritance Tax Debate” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
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Reform has ruled out abolishing inheritance tax and branded the Tories 'out of touch' for considering it.
left criticizes the Conservative Party's consideration of abolishing inheritance tax
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'I find it as unfair as the next person. It's a very unpopular tax. It doesn't raise very much but causes a huge amount of damage to family farms and businesses.'
left describes inheritance tax negatively while emphasizing its impact on small businesses
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'That's the big difference,' he said. 'If you ask are we in hock to wealthy people? No, absolutely not, because we're not reducing taxes for the super-rich, for big businesses, for Belgravia. We are on the side of working people.'
left emphasizes support for workers over wealthy individuals
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'I think it's very out of touch, actually. And also it's not going to happen.'
left criticizes the Conservative Party's proposal as 'out of touch'
Leaning score -0.65 for article 9397 (high confidence, 4 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-14
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Reform has ruled out abolishing inheritance tax and branded the Tories 'out of touch' for considering it.
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Reform → see → it
Robert Jenrick, Reform's pick for Chancellor, admitted the 40 per cent levy on deceased people's estates is 'unfair' and 'very unpopular' but said it 'doesn't raise very much money'.
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it → admit → money
He said Reform would not match a plan being considered by the Tories to scrap it, calling it 'morally wrong' to prioritise cutting taxes for the 'super-rich' in a cost-of-living crisis.
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Reform → say → crisis
As revealed by The Mail on Sunday, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch may unveil the major policy of abolishing inheritance tax at the party's annual conference next month.
uncertain
Badenoch → reveal → conference
It would echo a similar pledge by Shadow Chancellor George Osborne in 2007 which was credited with deterring Prime Minister Gordon Brown from calling a snap election.
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which → echo → election
Conservative sources insist the tax cut is still under discussion and will only be confirmed if it can be fully costed.
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it → insist → discussion
Shadow Foreign Secretary Tom Tugendhat said: 'Kemi's not going to be announcing anything until conference.'
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Kemi → say → conference
A party spokesman added: 'Kemi has made no secret of her desire to cut taxes, singling out inheritance tax as one of those she wants to cut in a speech last week.
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she → add → speech
But Mr Jenrick said he would not scrap inheritance tax, which is only paid by about 30,000 estates worth more than £325,000.
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which → say → estates
Robert Jenrick said Reform would not match a plan being considered by the Tories to abolish inheritance tax
He told Sky News: 'I find it as unfair as the next person.
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it → say → person
It doesn't raise very much but causes a huge amount of damage to family farms and businesses.
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It → raise → farms
'
But he said there would be a 'big divide in British politics' if Mrs Badenoch focuses on cutting taxes for a small number of people, while Reform instead vows to increase the personal allowance so that workers earning less than £15,000 and pensioners are spared paying income tax.
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workers → say → tax
'That's the big difference,' he said.
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he → say → ?
'If you ask are we in hock to wealthy people? No, absolutely not, because we're not reducing taxes for the super-rich, for big businesses, for Belgravia.
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we → ask → Belgravia
We are on the side of working people.
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We → work → people
'
Told scrapping inheritance tax would be a popular policy, he insisted: 'I think it's very out of touch, actually.
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it → tell → tax
And also it's not going to happen.'
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it → go → ?
He highlighted Mr Osborne's pledge, which was never implemented, adding: 'We've heard this before, but it's a big divide now in British politics.
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it → highlight → politics
He added: 'I thought that it would be morally wrong as Chancellor, in a time of such straitened circumstances, to privilege a small number of households over the lowest income people in our country.'
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it → add → country
In a separate interview with GB News, Mr Jenrick was asked if he was ruling out cutting inheritance tax if he became Chancellor and replied: 'I am.
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I → ask → tax
But he added: 'I mean, if there was a chance to do it at some point in the future, maybe.
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I → add → future
But it's not my priority because we are on the side of working people.'
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we → work → people
A Reform source said: 'We’d like to get rid of inheritance tax but our first priority is to raise the tax-free personal allowance.
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priority → say → allowance
That’s a much bigger tax cut that helps 40 million people.'
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that → ’ → people
Mr Jenrick said on Monday: 'The Tories promised to abolish inheritance tax before, but levied £84billion from grieving families.
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Tories → say → families
They’re set to promise it again in a desperate attempt to stop an early election in which they’d be wiped out in most of the country.
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they → set → country
Nobody’s buying it anymore.'
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Nobody → buy → it
