The protest is the fourth overall in Central London since the Autumn Budget last year
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Hundreds of farmers descended on Westminster today for the fourth time since last year’s budget, but the government hold to their proposed bill.
The demonstration saw farmers protest against planned changes to inheritance tax, which are due to come into force in 2026. The proposed taxes were in announced in Labour’s October budget last year.
Today’s protest was mostly pedestrian-led, with the Metropolitan Police having previously warned demonstrators to not arrive with tractors or harvesters. Seven vehicles were seen on Whitehall, in line with an agreement made with the Met.
A combine harvester heads to Whitehall
Placards were seen referencing Shrove Tuesday, which is being celebrated today across the country.
A government spokesperson responded to the protest in the following comment to City News:
This Government are investing £5 billion into farming, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history. This is a fair and balanced approach which helps fix the public services we all rely on.
Several non-government politicians were in attendance, with Reform leader Nigel Farage appearing for 15 minutes.
The leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch also attended, taking in views from a combine harvester. She voiced concern for farmers across the United Kingdom and the Conservative’s stance against the proposed taxes, speaking to farmers from Northern Ireland:
These changes will affect farmers across the UK, not just farmers in England. Agricultural property relief, business property relief; these are bad taxes that Labour is imposing and we will reverse them at the first opportunity.”
Kemi Badenoch viewed the protest from a combine harvester before speaking to the crowdFarmers protested planned changes to inheritance laws.
What would the scale of proposed reforms be? The National Farmer’s Union and Labour disagree
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) stated a total of 70,000 farms would be impacted by these changes. According to analysis by BBC Verify and the Institute for Fiscal Studies this is a highly speculative figure.
Opposing this, the government say that the scale of impact will be much smaller than the NFU project, at 500 estates annually. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs reaffirmed their position in their statement to City News today:
Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs will mean three quarters of estates will continue to pay no inheritance tax at all.
As the fourth protest drew to a close, farmers remain committed to line the streets of Westminster until the proposition is revoked.
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HeadlineFarmers protest in Westminster as government respond, Badenoch and Farage make appearances
Short HeadlineFarmers protest in Westminster for second time this year
StandfirstFarmers line the streets of Westminster for the fourth time, protesting proposed inheritance taxes on farms
Hundreds of farmers descended on Westminster today for the fourth time since last year’s budget, but the government hold to their proposed bill.
The demonstration saw farmers protest against planned changes to inheritance tax, which are due to come into force in 2026. The proposed taxes were in announced in Labour’s October budget last year.
Today’s protest was mostly pedestrian-led, with the Metropolitan Police having previously warned demonstrators to not arrive with tractors or harvesters. Seven vehicles were seen on Whitehall, in line with an agreement made with the Met.
A combine harvester heads to Whitehall
Placards were seen referencing Shrove Tuesday, which is being celebrated today across the country.
A government spokesperson responded to the protest in the following comment to City News:
This Government are investing £5 billion into farming, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history. This is a fair and balanced approach which helps fix the public services we all rely on.
Several non-government politicians were in attendance, with Reform leader Nigel Farage appearing for 15 minutes.
The leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch also attended, taking in views from a combine harvester. She voiced concern for farmers across the United Kingdom and the Conservative’s stance against the proposed taxes, speaking to farmers from Northern Ireland:
These changes will affect farmers across the UK, not just farmers in England. Agricultural property relief, business property relief; these are bad taxes that Labour is imposing and we will reverse them at the first opportunity.”
Kemi Badenoch viewed the protest from a combine harvester before speaking to the crowdFarmers protested planned changes to inheritance laws.
What would the scale of proposed reforms be? The National Farmer’s Union and Labour disagree
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) stated a total of 70,000 farms would be impacted by these changes. According to analysis by BBC Verify and the Institute for Fiscal Studies this is a highly speculative figure.
Opposing this, the government say that the scale of impact will be much smaller than the NFU project, at 500 estates annually. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs reaffirmed their position in their statement to City News today:
Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs will mean three quarters of estates will continue to pay no inheritance tax at all.
As the fourth protest drew to a close, farmers remain committed to line the streets of Westminster until the proposition is revoked.
London stations are exhibiting their seasonal Christmas tree, which has raised questions of whether these displays are festive celebrations or clever pieces of brand promotion.
