Farmers’ protest live: Jeremy Clarkson warns inheritance tax ‘the end’ for farmers as thousands march in fury
Farmers from across the country have travelled to London this morning to join protests over changes to inheritance tax rules
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Your support makes all the difference.Jeremy Clarkson has urged the Labour government to “please back down” as he warned that the proposed inheritance tax hikes could be “the end” for farmers.
He has joined farmers for a large-scale protest in London on Tuesday to urge the government to change course over its plans, which have been described as a “stab in the back”.
First unveiled in chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget, the plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m have sparked fury among rural communities, who have contested the government’s assertion that small family farms will not be impacted by the changes.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has organised an event in which 1,800 of its members will meet with local MPs at Westminster to voice their anger on Tuesday, as thousands are also separately expected to stage a demonstration in Whitehall.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said an estimated 75 per cent of commercial farm businesses “were caught in the eye of this storm” of a policy which will “rip the heart of family farms”.
The government argues that tax exemptions have led to wealthy non-farmers seizing agricultural land and pricing out genuine young farmers, and point to Budget funding of £5bn to help farmers produce food.
Nigel Farage reportedly blocked from giving speech
Nigel Farage has reportedly been blocked from speaking at the farming protest by the organisers over concerns that he “might make it all about himself”.
The Reform UK leader arrived at the organised event wearing a waxed jacket, wellington boots, a mustard trousers.
While other politicians from other parties, such as Dame Priti Patel, have been invited to take to the stage, Farage’s offer has reportedly been rejected.
A source told The Times: “He has been trying to be allowed to speak but we are getting told by lots of people not to let him because he might try to make it all about himself.”
Queues form to lobby MPs as streets line up with farmers and tourists
Road closures can be seen around outside Westminster Hall as several tractors pass with banners displayed attacking Labour, Alex Ross reports.
A double decker red bus also circles the area flying Reform UK flags - despite protest organisers urging people to keep the protest non political.
So far, streets are lined with a mix of photographers, farmers and bemused tourists.
Portcullis House, opposite Westminster Hall, is one of the locations NFU members are lobbying MPs.
Here’s the queue outside to get through security. One farmer jokes “they must be scared of us”.
In pictures: Thousands gather in Westminster for protest
Boris Johnson says tax is ‘spiteful and punitive’
Boris Johnson is among the number of public figures criticising the family farm tax, labelling it as a “demented” policy.
In a post on X, the former prime minister wrote: “Good luck to everyone protesting today against Labour’s demented family farm tax.
“Farmers work all hours and all year round to feed this country. We should be doing more to champion British food and keep our farmers on the land.
“Instead Reeves is clobbering British agriculture with a tax that is spiteful and punitive and economically disastrous. End it now.”
Farmers operate on ‘tight margins’ and are ‘very cash-poor’, says minister
Shadow trade minister Greg Smith has said the Government “just don’t understand” that farmers operate on “really tight margins”.
“They don’t have a million quid sat in the bank to pay a random tax bill,” he said: “The only way they can meet that bill is by selling land.”
He said that farms are “incredibly asset-rich but very, very cash-poor” and the changes would mean that businesses are “potentially not viable at all”.
Asked whether farming became harder under regulations legislated for by the Tories, he said: “It’s definitely changed, because we went from the Common Agricultural Policy to a new system, and that system is being transitioned in slowly, and change is something that is very, very difficult.
“And, yes, there have been some additional environmental regulations and schemes that have been layered in on top to meet the 2050 net zero target, which the last government indeed legislated for.
“What we’ve got to do now, though, and I’ve always been clear on this, is find that happy medium that still prioritises food production.”
In pictures: Reform UK leader speaking to farmers
More protests will take place across the country, farmers warn
Ollie Atkinson, a farmer from Hampshire, warned that further regional action will be taken following on from today’s protest if the government doesn’t backtrack.
Christopher Moar, a friend of Mr Atkinson who travelled to London in support of the protest, said the rural community “feels like they were lied to” by Rachel Reeves.
“There is huge amounts of support for farmers across the country”, Mr Atkinson told The Independent, saying he expects further demonstrations to take place outside of London.
The farmer added that there is concern among the agricultural community that NFU chief Tom Bradshaw won’t do what is needed to force the government’s hand, suggesting he needs to take a tougher approach in his talks with ministers.
Nigel Farage has been pictured joining protest
Nigel Farage joins farmers protesting in central London over the changes to inheritance tax (IHT) rules in the recent budget which introduce new taxes on farms worth more than £1 million.
Met Police estimate 10,000 protesters have arrived in Westminster
In a post on social media site X, the Metropolitan Police said: “The event is underway in Whitehall with no issues to report.
“Both lanes are closed south of Horse Guards. Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to use other routes.
“It’s always difficult to calculate an exact attendance figure for these events, but we estimate that there are now in excess of 10,000 people present in Whitehall with more arriving.”
Farmer takes aim at ‘reaper’ Rachel Reeves with cardboard sign
One farmer from Essex has had a go at working Rachel Reeves into a slogan.
He says the sign depicting the Chancellor as the grim reaper was supposed to be on the front of his tractor but he wasn’t allowed to drive it in.
“Getting it on the tube was a nightmare.”
Sadly, Rachel Reaper Killing Feeders doesn’t roll off the tongue like Farmer Harmer Starmer.
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