Politics LIVE: Hundreds of tractors to grind Westminster to a halt in latest protest as Starmer dubbed 'farmer harmer'
WATCH: Farmer James Wright speaks to GB News on Tuesday on whether farmers will move to more 'militant' measures
GB NEWS
Farmers are arriving in London ahead of mass protests once again today in reaction to Labour's "cruel" family farm tax raids.
November 19 saw thousands of farmers turn up on the streets of Westminster - where they were joined by famous faces and politicians calling for the planned inheritance tax hikes to end.
And now, tractors are returning to the capital for a fresh demo organised by Save British Farming (SBF) and Kent Fairness for Farmers - while other protests are slated for outside the Welsh Senedd and in towns and cities across the country as Britain's agricultural workers make their voices heard.
SBF founder Liz Webster - whose protests will unfold as PMQs are underway at noon - said the Prime Minister "is pulling the rug from under farmers' feet, aiming to dismantle British farming as we know it".
"But farmers are resilient and united in this fight," she said, comparing the tax raids to the "straw that broke the camel’s back".
Meanwhile, National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw, whose group is not officially involved today, said: "These events reflect the strong feelings across the agricultural community. We hope they are well-attended and farmers' voices are heard."
Early on Wednesday morning, tractors were already on the move as farmers made their way to the capital - with some sporting slogans decrying "Starmer the farmer harmer" and "Keir Stalinarmer, global laughing stock - stop the death tax".
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MPs hearing from farming leaders, finance experts about effects of Labour's tax raids
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has begun - just as farmers start to gather outside the Palace of Westminster for further protests against Labour's inheritance tax raids.
MPs are first hearing from countryside and farming leaders and financial experts on the effects of the changes to inheritance tax.
Downing Street: 'Our commitment to farmers is steadfast'
A reminder of Downing Street's line on Labour's inheritance tax raids ahead of today's protests.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We have been very clear we are not going to change course on this policy. It was necessary to take tough decisions at the Budget and the spending review and those decisions remain.
"But our commitment to farmers is steadfast and our message to farmers is clear, that is why we provided £5billion to the farming budget over two years including more money than ever for sustainable food production."
Protesting farmers start to arrive as Jenkyns labels Labour 'abhorrent'
'No farmers, no food,' one placard reads
REUTERS
Tractors are rolling through Westminster - with many decked out with protest placards and union flags.
It comes as Reform UK's Dame Andrea Jenkyns has backed today's demonstrations - "Let's keep the pressure on this abhorrent Labour Government," she says.
PICTURED: Tractors arrive on Parliament Square
PICTURED: Tractors on Parliament Square
PA
Farmers are starting to arrive in Westminster ahead of today's protest.
It's expected that speakers outside Downing Street at midday will include North Wales hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, Berkshire farmer Colin Rayner and Northern Ireland Farmers for Action coordinator William Taylor.
'The cavalry is on the move!' Columns of farmers make their way to London as protests loom
Tractors are making their way to Parliament ahead of today's mass protests
GB NEWS
More live images of the tractor convoy heading to London from our reporter on the ground.
One group of farmers has kitted out their vehicles with union flags and protest signs as they gear up to take their fight to Parliament.
"The agricultural cavalry is on the move. Next stop: Westminster," Charlie Peters says.
Labour carries out first 'deportation flight' to Pakistan since 2020
The Home Office is understood to have carried out its first deportation flight to Pakistan since 2020.
The flight, from London Stansted to Islamabad, landed just after 8am GMT on Wednesday - in the face of an attempt to thwart it by protest group Solidarity Detainee Support.
The successful return trip is the first of its kind since February 2020 - and though the Home Office had attempted to charter three flights to the country across 2020 and 2021, these were cancelled.
A spokesman for the department said: "It is longstanding Government policy that we do not comment on individual cases.
"Due to operational sensitivities, we will not be commenting on operational details, including location, of any potential return flights."
'We're on our way!' Follow live as tractor convoy advances on the capital
PICTURED: Six of the tractors in Hemel Hempsted, Hertfordshire
JOSH MORLAND
A tractor convoy is making its way to Westminster ahead of today's large-scale protest in the capital.
One group of farmers is making its way south into London - and GB News understands a "go-slow" protest on the A41 dual carriageway is underway.
One of the farmers, Josh Morland, tells The People's Channel: "It's pretty blocked already with normal traffic... but we're on our way!"
GB News' National Reporter Charlie Peters is travelling alongside the farmers - "This muddy battalion of agricultural anger is gearing up to march on SW1," he says.
Corbyn and pro-Gaza 'Independent Alliance' to form 'new political party' in latest blow to Starmer
Corbyn is looking to mobilise his pro-Gaza blocUK PARLIAMENT/PA/BBC/SHOCKAT ADAMJeremy Corbyn has reportedly been preparing the groundwork for the creation of a new left-wing party in a fresh challenge to his Labour successor Sir Keir Starmer.
Corbyn, who was expelled from the Labour Party after announcing his independent candidacy ahead of the 2024 General Election, is supposedly looking to mirror the rise of Reform UK by mobilising the so-called “Independent Alliance” grouping ahead of 2029.
The rival quintet of pro-Gaza independent MPs will likely include Leicester South’s Shockat Adam, Birmingham Perry Barr’s Ayoub Khan, Blackburn’s Adnan Hussain and Dewsbury & Batley’s Iqbal Mohamed.
Reform UK takes aim at DWP as nearly one MILLION calls to department need translating - 'If you can't speak English, you can't get benefits!'
Reform UK has unleashed a scathing attack on the Department for Work and Pensions after it emerged that almost one million calls to the department last year required an interpreter.
This morning, Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe launched into a tirade against how "people unable to speak English [are] claiming benefits in such large numbers" and pointed to DWP figures revealing that some 865,299 phone calls needed translation in 2023.
"Why are these individuals entitled to financial support from the British taxpayer?" He asked. "If you can't speak English - the answer is no. You can't get benefits."
"Our welfare system is being systemically abused, and it is costing us all billions and billions," he added.
Deputy leader Richard Tice joined in too, declaring: "If you are a foreign national who can't speak English then you should not be able to claim benefits. Rupert is bang on the money. How many billions is this abuse costing?"
TWENTY-EIGHT Labour ministers have spouses or relatives on party payroll in 'new aristocracy' - despite canning hereditary peers
Both Rachel and Ellie Reeves attend Cabinet
PA
An unprecedented 28 Labour ministers have spouses or relatives on the party's payroll, a new report has shown.
Seven Cabinet members, including the Defence and Business Secretaries, are either related to another minister, a Labour-appointed special adviser or a civil servant.
As part of the first set of so-called "transparency returns" published under Sir Keir Starmer's administration, the Government has been forced to outline any potential conflicts of interest from around the Cabinet table.
The figure has sparked fury from the Conservatives - under Rishi Sunak, the number stood at 11.
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart told The Sun: "Here's Labour's new aristocracy laid bare - it's all who you know or are related to."
A Labour insider told the newspaper: "People tend to get into Labour politics quite young, and then spend their time hanging out with their Labour comrades so often that it makes sense to marry one.
"For others, the parental or spouse connections can help them get a foot in the door or a leap up the ladder."
It comes just under a month since MPs voted by an overwhelming margin to oust the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords - at the time, Burghart said the party was "seeking to remove established scrutineers in order to replace them with Labour appointees".
Downing Street says: "To rebuild Britain and deliver the change our country needs will require talent, expertise and creativity. We won’t hesitate to make sure the right people are around the table."
Rayner to force prisons on Britain's villages as Labour wages war on 'Nimby' councils
Angela Rayner will be handed new powers to force through prisons on green belt land and overrule local authorities as part of Labour's mass building drive.
Under a new set of laws to breakthrough a "Nimby chokehold" on construction, the Ministry of Justice will be able to bypass councils, who normally have the upper hand on planning applications - even if the proposed buildings will be on green belt land.
MoJ officials will instead submit plans directly to the planning inspectorate, which comes under the remit of Rayner's housing ministry, which could give them the go-ahead in as little as 16 weeks.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, announcing the new scheme, said: "Part of our plan for change, this capacity strategy, alongside an independent review of sentencing policy, will keep our streets safe and ensure no government runs out of prison places again."
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