Stories from the crowd: ‘Don’t argue with the countryside’ 

A North Essex farmer who attended the farmers’ rally said it was important for him to take part in the protest to tell the govermnet that farmers “had enough”. 

He added: “There is no way I can carry on with the business. On paper my farm, which has been in the family for over 100 years, may be worth £6 million, but we don’t earn any money off it at the moment. 

“We can barely pay the tax we have to pay now. If the government will not withdraw its plans, we should bring this country to a halt. 

“The 200 million revenue they think they’re going to get from the tax will be peanuts compared to what it’s going to cost them. You do not want to argue with the countryside.”

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

‘If you got it wrong, own it’

A Newcastle farmer said that he came to London with his son to speak against the “anti-farmer Budget”. 

He described the changes to the inheritance tax as a “tax grab” and a “political move”. 

“It’s anti-farmer, anti-food, anti-business. The changes mean that it will be really difficult to hand the farm down. 

“We don’t mind paying tax, but in terms of inheritance, there’s no money. The farm changes hands but there’s no money coming in. 

“There’s no money to pay the tax. And the fact that you can have 10 years to pay it, makes no difference.” 

The farmer added that the Labour government is making a “serious mistake” and should backtrack on it. 

He added: “If you got it wrong, own it, and people will forgive them, so they could move on.”

READ MORE: Farmers donate over 15,000 meals during protest

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

North-east farmer John and his son Will speak to us about their views on Labour’s #inheritancetax and how their farm would be affected 📣#farmersprotest #budget #farmersrally #backbritishfarming #ukfarming #nofarmersnofood #familyfarmtax pic.twitter.com/suYrlT5vHn

— Farmers Guide (@FarmersGuide) November 19, 2024

Support from Diddly Squat farm

Farmer and TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson also took part in the yesterday’s rally.

When asked what his message was for the government, Mr Clarkson told Sky News: “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 during his speech at the farmers’ protest: “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: Jeremy Clarkson joins farmers’ rally and asks government to ‘back down’ 

“Devastating” impact of the changes

Former secretary of state for defence and secretary of state for education, MP Gavin Williamson, joined farmers during the rally to support his constituents. 

MP Williamson said that the changes proposed by the Labour government are going to have a “devastating” impact in terms of the local economy as well as the countryside. 

“The fair and only solution is that the government’s got to rethink, take a different approach and actually get rid of this ridiculous idea that’s going to stop farming being viable in so many parts of the UK.” 

Read more political news. 

We spoke to MP Gavin Williamson about why he attended, what farmers are saying and what is the solution 📣 #memberofparliament #mp #farmersrally #farmersprotest #budget #ukpolitics #ukfarming #familyfarmtax pic.twitter.com/GpEDA3nfzV

— Farmers Guide (@FarmersGuide) November 19, 2024