Tractors rolled on Whitehall for the third time in the last three months today as farmers vented their anger over Starmer and Reeves’ ‘anti-farming Stalinist offensive’.
Much of the criticism has been levelled at Chancellor Reeves’ budget which saw death duties slapped on previously exempt farmers, as well as increasing taxes on fertiliser and pickup trucks.
The measures have prompted commentators and voters to label Labour as out of touch with the countryside and the party of the liberal elite.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed, who has been vehemently defending Reeves’ tax raid on farmers as a ‘fair and balanced way’ to plug the £22billion black hole, has been singled out for criticism.
Born in St Albans, Reed worked in publishing and was Leader of Lambeth Council before entering politics as MP for the urban seat of Streatham and Croydon North in London.
The English graduate only became Shadow Environment Secretary in September 2023, after serving in Shadow ministerial roles in Housing and Local Government and Justice.
Reed did not help himself when, on a farm visit a few weeks ago, he wore a pair of luxury wellies worth £420. It remains the only farm visit Reed has been on since becoming Defra secretary.
Farmers and rural commentators were quick to highlight the wellies as a symbol of disconnect between the Cabinet and countryside.
GB News has analysed the Labour cabinet members’ constituencies and can reveal not one member represents a rural patch.
Labour Cabinet's constituencies
GBN
This comes after new polling showed rural voters are abandoning Labour for the Tories and Reform after backlash from Chancellor Reeves’ budget.
A Survation poll of over 1,000 people in England’s 100 most rural seats found two thirds of voters (66 per cent) say Labour “doesn’t understand or respect rural communities,” up from 33 per cent before the election.
The landmark research put Reform level with Labour in the countryside as support for Starmer crashed.
Keir Starmer’s party polled 21 per cent across England’s most rural constituencies, 13 percentage points behind the Conservatives (34 per cent) and equal with Reform (21 per cent) who were up five percentage points.
The poll also found more than half of voters (57 per cent) say they now trust Labour less, while nearly a quarter of Labour voters in July are “unhappy” with their vote.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research also found the countryside to be backing farmers.
Opposition to the inheritance tax hike stands at 58 per cent, with less than a quarter in support. Even among Labour voters in rural areas, 44 per cent are against, while 37 per cent are in favour.
A Defra spokesperson said: “Our commitment to farmers remains steadfast – we have committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years, including more money than ever for sustainable food production, and we are developing a 25-year farming roadmap, focusing on how to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come.
“Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Relief will impact around 500 estates a year. For these estates, inheritance tax will be at half the rate paid by others, with 10 years to pay the liability back interest free. This is a fair and balanced approach which fixes the public services we all rely on."
LATEST FROM MEMBERSHIP:
James Cleverly lambasts ‘incredibly poorly thought through’ Rachel Reeves decisionGB NEWSLabour Cabinet Members and their urban constituencies:
| Holborn and St Pancras | Sir Keir Starmer | Prime Minister |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | Angela Rayner | Deputy Prime Minister; Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| Leeds West and Pudsey | Rachel Reeves | Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley | Yvette Cooper | Secretary of State for the Home Department |
| Doncaster North | Ed Miliband | Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero |
| Tottenham | David Lammy | Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs |
| Wolverhampton South East | Pat McFadden | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
| Birmingham Ladywood | Shabana Mahmood | Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice |
| Ilford North | Wes Streeting | Secretary of State for Health and Social Care |
| Stalybridge and Hyde | Jonathan Reynolds | Secretary of State for Business and Trade, President of the Board of Trade |
| Leicester West | Liz Kendall | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions |
| Rawmarsh and Conisbrough | John Healey | Secretary of State for Defence |
| Swindon South | Heidi Alexander | Secretary of State for Transport |
| Hove and Portslade | Peter Kyle | Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology |
| Leeds South | Hilary Benn | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland |
| Edinburgh South | Ian Murray | Secretary of State for Scotland |
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Bridget Phillipson | Secretary of State for Education, Minister for Women and Equalities |
| Life peer | Lord Hermer KC | Attorney General |
| Wigan | Lisa Nandy | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport |
| Tynemouth | Sir Alan Campbell | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) |
| Bristol North West | Darren Jones | Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| Life peer | Baroness Smith | Lord Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Lords |
| Manchester Central | Lucy Powell | Lord President of the Council, Leader of the House of Commons |
| Cardiff East | Jo Stevens | Secretary of State for Wales |
| Streatham and Croydon North | Steve Reed | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Oxford East | Anneliese Dodds | Minister of State (Minister for Development), Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities) |
| Lewisham West and East Dulwich | Ellie Reeves | Minister without Portfolio |
