Farmers’ Protest Live: Jeremy Clarkson Arrives As Tractors Descend On Downing Street Amid Inheritance Tax Fury
NewsUKUK PoliticsFarmers from across the country have travelled to London this morning to join protests over changes to inheritance tax rules
Louise Haigh defends Labour’s budget measures after farmer tax protest
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Jeremy Clarkson has joined farmers for a large-scale protest in London on Tuesday to urge the government to change course over its inheritance tax 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.
Warning of “complete disillusionment and distrust” within the farming community, 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.
Kemi Badenoch says tax could be ‘end of British farming’ Kemi Badenoch has joined farmers and Conservative MPs outside the Houses of Parliament ahead of the large-scale protest.
In a tweet on social media, the party leader wrote: “Farmers are saying one thing: reverse this farm tax, or it’s the end of British farming as we know it, and the end of thousands of jobs and generations of knowledge.”
Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:48
‘Reeves is refusing to engage’: NFU chief suggests Cabinet division over tractor taxTom Bradshaw has suggested there is Cabinet division over the hated tractor tax, claiming that Rachel Reeves has entirely “refused to engage” with farmers on the policy.
Asked by The Independent whether he believes there is a disconnect between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Treasury, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chief said: “The very fact that we’re even arguing about the figures suggests that the foundations of this policy are very weak. We know that Defra figures show something very different to Treasury figures. Treasury are obviously working off historic claims.”
After meeting with environment secretary Steve Reed last night, he said it was clear that Defra was “not consulted” about the policy.
“There’s probably some very interesting conversations going on behind closed doors that we’re not privy to”, he added.
Millie Cooke 19 November 2024 10:45
Police ‘undermines’ farmers ability to produce more foodNFU president Tom Bradshaw told members: “We know that the public are overwhelmingly supporting farmers, the second most trusted profession.”
“They want to buy more British products but this policy undermines your ability to produce more food,” he said, urging farmers to thank members of the public for their support.
“But your key job today is to look your own MPs in the eye, make them understand what this policy means to you and the price they will pay politically if they toe the party line, in Westminster, in Cardiff, in Edinburgh, in Belfast, this policy has to be changed.
“Our request is very simple, this is a policy that will rip the heart out of Britain’s family farms, launched on bad data with no consultation, and it must be halted and considered properly.”
Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:44
Police surround Whitehall streets as crowds gather More police arrive to keep the hundreds of farmers spilling into the active road in Whitehall.
“You’re not needed here”, one farmer tells an officer who replies “It’s for your safety sir”.
The crowds are preventing trucks loaded with food bank donations to take off to the annoyance of organizers.
It’s a sea of tweed and flat caps and despite their obvious anger at the proposed inheritance tax crowds are good natured.
Farmers have surrounded Whitehall to protest the proposed inheritance tax hikes (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)Barney Davis, in Whitehall 19 November 2024 10:43
Pictured: Jeremy Clarkson arriving in central London to join farmers
Jeremy Clarkson arrives in central London to join the farmers protest (Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
He was seen talking to journalists and broadcasters ahead of the march (Aaron Chown/PA Wire)Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:36
In pictures: Tory leader Kemi Badenoch joins protest outside Westminster
Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins, Kemi Badenoch and shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel join farmers (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
Ms Atkins speaking to Tory MPs and farmers outside the Houses of Parliament (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:26
NFU president urges government to get to ‘logical position’ NFU president Tom Bradshaw says 75 per cent of working farms will be caught within the scope of the change in inheritance tax.
He urges the government not to waste political energy on a policy that “will rip the rug under the very people who will deliver food security”,
“Let’s start from scratch and get to a logical position”, he urges the government.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said 75 per cent of farms would be affected (The Independent )Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:23
Met deny ‘tractor ban’The Metropolitan Police have denied that they tried to ban tractors from the event. A spokesperson said: “We are aware of speculation online that we have tried to ban tractors from the event. This isn’t true — we’ve policed protests involving tractors previously without any major issues and we have plans in place to do so again if required.”
Officers have had “positive discussions” with organisers and are “well-prepared for the protest”, the spokesperson added.
“We will have officers deployed in the vicinity to ensure the event takes place safely, lawfully and in a way that prevents serious disruption.”
Holly Evans19 November 2024 10:18
Watch: Tractors arrive in Westminster ahead of protestsTractors arrive in Westminster ahead of protestsHolly Evans19 November 2024 10:16
150 MPs in attendance at Church House to answer to angry farmersAround 150 members of parliament from across all parties are expected to attend Church House in Westminster to answer to angry famers over the government’s decision to extend inheritance tax to agricultural properties, the National Farmers’ Union estimates.
The union, led by Essex arable farmer Tom Bradshaw, is hosting a mass lobby event on Tuesday morning, with more than 1,000 members showing up to explain the impact of the “tractor tax” on their livelihoods.
NFU sources told The Independent that their most up to date estimate is that around 150 MPs will be in attendance throughout the morning, but they stressed the actual figure could be higher than that.
Millie Cooke 19 November 2024 10:14
