Jeremy Clarkson joins farmers’ rally and asks government to ‘back down’ 

Mr Clarkson, who previously said that one of the reasons he decided to buy a farm in the Cotswolds was to avoid inheritance tax, joined the farmers’ rally in Westminster, London, on 19th November. 

Thousands of farmers gathered to show their dissatisfaction with the changes to the inheritance tax that were announced at the Autumn Budget. 

When asked what his message was for the government, Mr Clarkson told Sky News: “Please, back down”. 

He added: “If you make a mistake, we all do, and they have, be big enough to say, ‘we made a mistake here,’ and then back down.” 

Mr Clarkson said he tries to support farmers “as best as he can”.  When asked if, in his opinion, the government is listening to farmers, Mr Clarkson pointed out that PM Starmer is currently in Rio de Janeiro. 

He added: ‘I’m here to support the farmers. It’s that simple, because they need all the help they can get really, even from me.” 

The owner of Diddly Squat farm said in his speech during the farmers’ rally: “For the sake of everybody here, and for all the farmers who are stuck at home today, paralysed by a fog of despair over what’s been forced upon them, I beg of the government to be big, to accept that this was rushed through, it wasn’t thought out and it’s a mistake.

“That’s the big thing to do. Admit it and back down.”

READ MORE: Tens of thousands of farmers descend on Westminster 

READ MORE: GALLERY: Farmers head to London en masse to protest against family farm tax

Changes will affect not only farms

Mr Clarkson was joined by the Clarkson’s Farm co-stars, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland. 

Kaleb Cooper told The Times: “I haven’t got a farm to pass down, but I’ve got a business that I’ve grown since I was 16 years old. So to pass that onto my child now, I’m going to get taxed on that.  

“And actually, can he afford to take that business on? If he has to then sell two tractors, for example, to pay that tax bill, is that going to be unprofitable to actually make sure he can have a livelihood off that business?” 

Mr Clarkson’s farm advisor, Charlie Ireland, added that the announced changes will affect not only farms but also small and medium-sized businesses in the country, which are the “backbone” of the British economy. 

READ MORE: 1,800 farmers attend NFU mass lobby: ‘This betrayal is extraordinary’ 

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