Tractors are set to descend on Whitehall once again next week as farmers continue to vent their anger over Chancellor Reeves’ budget, namely her changes to inheritance tax.
Previously exempt farmers were slapped with 20 per cent death duties on assets over £1million as the government targeted food producers to help plug the £22billion black hole.
The move prompted furious reaction from cash-strapped farmers who argued the tax would wipe out farm profits and, in some cases, require sales of land/machinery to cover it.
20,000 rural folks descended on Westminster to protest on November 19, but the government refused to budge, maintaining it was a ‘fair and balanced’ approach.
A second ‘larger and more chaotic’ protest has been confirmed for December 11, led by campaign group Save British Farming.
Founder Liz Webster issued a brilliant message to Starmer today ahead of the protest. She said: “We're all f***ing furious, basically. What I'm seeing from farmers is a building fury and pushback because he [Starmer] has no mandate to do this.
“And it's been done in a very underhand and deceitful way, relying on erroneous data. And unleashing a culture war on us, falsely flagging us as tax avoiders, which is not true.
“He’s trying to win support for the end of British farming with deceit and lies. And he's failed.
“He'll continue to fail because polling shows that the majority [of the public] back farmers and feel that we're getting a raw deal.
“They [a former Labour advisor] say they can do what Thatcher did to the miners with farmers.
“I say this is like Thatcher and poll tax. This is an impossible situation for Starmer. It's unwinnable for him.
“We're quite used to working long and hard hours for not very much money.
“And we're not going to stop. It'll only get bigger, not smaller. He's chosen a battle he can't win.
“The sooner he backs down, the better.”
Save British Farming campaign banner Liz WebsterShe also explained the need for a second protest to GB News today: “The first protest was good. There was a lot of focus on the inheritance tax, which is the straw that broke the camel's back.
“But look, if we were a viable, profitable business, we would be happy to pay inheritance tax.
“In fact, I think all farmers would rather be feeling that we were able to contribute to our public services in that way.
“But as we all know, there's just not enough money in farming. And there's less money in farming because support is being pulled from underneath us.”
Government statistics show 17 per cent of UK farms failed to make a profit in 2022/23, while 59 per cent made a profit of less than £50,000.
The budget contained other measures farmers have warned will cause damage, such as carbon taxes increasing the cost of fertiliser, increased tax on pickup trucks and a tightening of environmental rules.
However, there were also supportive elements of the budget, with money available for flood relief and massive investment in sustainable food production.
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Gareth Wyn Jones, a Welsh sheep and beef farmer and social media star, appears to be the first ‘big name’ to confirm his attendance at the second rally.
He said on social media: “On the 11th, there’s going to be a lot of tractors heading for London.
“There are other little rallies organised in Cardiff and many other places.
“I think for once the whole industry, the whole countryside needs to get behind this to make sure this government understands this is the final nail in the agricultural coffin
“Enough is enough. We need this to change.
“This is the time to get on your tractor and get out there and show your solidarity.
“We have to protect our family farms and protect the future for our children.”
On the second protest, Ms Webster revealed Christmas will play a role. She said: “We want to recognise what British farmers do for the British public at Christmas.
“So we'll be decorating our tractors with Christmas lights. We're hoping to bring some farm toys for the children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“We want to bring the countryside to London with some Christmas cheer.
“But we will also be sombre and recognise what is potentially a funeral for British farming.”
Ms Webster asks farmers hoping to attend the second protest contact Save British Farming at savebritishfarming@gmail.com.
