Tens of thousands of farmers descend on Westminster
19th November 2024
Large crowds of farmers, including some tractors have headed to London this morning to protest against changes to inheritance tax reliefs.
A protest organised by four farmers has drawn tens of thousands of farmers to London today (19th November) – all taking a stand against the government’s “betrayal” of the sector.
Despite repeated promises to the contrary, the government plans to slash agricultural property relief on inheritance tax to 50% for farms with a net worth over £1m.
Four farmers, Olly Harrison, Clive Bailye, Martin Williams and Andrew Ward, organised an official march in the capital to protest against the move.
Large crowds of farmers in wellies are marching in Westminster today and despite initial calls not to bring tractors, a number have done so.
Jeremy Clarkson has been spotted among the number, despite medical advice to rest following a recent heart procedure.
The march began on Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, opposite Downing Street.
Participants in the march were also asked to bring a food donation for local food banks. The aim is to make the largest ever donation to a food bank in a single day.
“A stab in the back”
Alongside the march, the NFU has invited 1,800 farmers into Church House, London, for a series of meetings with their MPs, to explain why the new inheritance tax rules will be so damaging for food and farming.
Opening the NFU’s event, president Tom Bradshaw called the government’s U-turn on inheritance tax “a stab in the back”.
It is the “straw that broke the camel’s back” and the worst budget for farming in his lifetime, he added.
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“You don’t need me to tell you farmers and growers put up with a lot, but it takes something extraordinary to get us to react like this and this betrayal on APR/BPR is extraordinary, and it affects farmers from every corner of Britain, many of whom are here today or joining us for later sessions.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the industry this angry, this disillusioned and this upset. And given what we’ve had to be angry about in recent years that’s saying something.”
He described the plans for APR and BPR as “shocking policy built on bad data and launched with no consultation.”
Mr Bradshaw added: “The Treasury didn’t even tell Defra!”
“Policy will not achieve the outcome they want”
As well as damaging farming businesses, the policy will not achieve the outcome that ministers desire, he continued.
“Far from catching wealthy homeowners with a bit of land, the Treasury’s mangling of the data means those people will generally not be affected.
“It’s the farms producing this country’s food, which are more valuable assets, that are caught in the eye of the storm.”
Farms will need to be broken up and sold to pay the tax “kicking the legs out from under Britain’s food security”, he added.
Mr Bradshaw said the NFU’s request is a simple one – the tax must be halted and considered properly, taking in the views of experts, not just Treasury civil servants.
Inheritance tax isn’t the only “kick in the teeth” in the chancellor’s autumn budget, however.
“It is full of let-downs for our vital sector: accelerated BPS reductions, double cab pick-up taxes, new taxes on fertilisers. The list goes on.
Farmers don’t give up
The government has defended its policy, claiming public services are “crumbling” and Labour has inherited a £22bn fiscal hole.
It claims the reforms to APR will only tax the wealthiest estates, but as many have pointed out, farms are asset rich and cash poor, with many likely having to sell off land to pay the tax.
The Country Land and Business Association estimates 70,000 farms could be affected.
Mr Bradshaw concluded: “It may be that ministers think today will be ‘it’, that we’ll get tired and they can just wait this out.
“Well farmers may get tired, but as every one of you in this room knows, they don’t give up.
“We won’t give up. We won’t stop fighting this nationally or locally, in every constituency.
“If they don’t realise that, they really don’t know farmers at all.”
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