1 week Ago By Ciaran McGrath
Rachel Reeves has been warned farmers are planning to park their tractors on her lawn - figuratively speaking, at least - to vent their anger at a raft of Labour policies they believe jeopardise the agricultural sector's future. Similar demonstrations have been staged elsewhere in the UK, most recently in the Capital, where organisers estimate more than 600 vehicles turned up. But Liz Webster, of Save British Farming, said they were far from finished - adding that Ms Reeves’ own Leeds West and Pudsey constituency was “absolutely perfect” for making their point to the Chancellor.
Farmers are angry at proposed changes including to inheritance tax, which will require payments on agricultural properties worth over £1 million. Previously exempt, the new policy will tax these assets at 20%, potentially forcing some families to sell farms rather than passing them on. The Government claims just 500 farms across the UK will be affected - but critics, including Wiltshire farmer Ms Webster, dispute its figures, arguing that the policy will disproportionately impact family farms and are likely to make food production costlier.
Exacerbating their discontent are worries about cheap agricultural imports, which farmers claim undermine British food standards and their economic viability, and the prospect of the UK signing trade deals which could they fear could flood the UK with chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef. Ms Webster told the Express roughly 650 tractors had attended Wednesday's protest in central London. She said: “We had people from Devon, from Exmoor, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Northamptonshire, all of the Home Counties were there.
” The key aim now was to pile the pressure on Labour MPs, especially those who, like Markus Campbell-Savours who has already voiced his concerns, represent rural constituencies, Ms Webster explained. She added: “They're feeling the pressure. What we will continue to do now is roll out tractor demos in Labour seats, so we'll take them past the Labour MP offices.
And that is very powerful, because it's local people hearing our message, and it's connecting directly to those MPs, and that will put pressure on them. “For example, I live near Swindon, and we've got Heidi Alexander, the newly elected Transport Secretary. And Leeds is just perfect - that’s where Rachel Reeves is, and Hilary Benn.
” Ms Webster stressed no more protests were likely now this side of Christmas, emphasising that farmers were keen not to "get in anyone’s way”. However, she continued: “The next really pivotal moment is spring statement in March so we are focusing towards that. "And then if we don't get a change in the Spring statement, then the next big event is the local elections.
Recent polling by More in Common suggested 58 percent of people were backing the farmers, Ms Webster pointed out. She added: “When you put it together, the winter fuel allowance, and the elderly people who are impacted by that, and the VAT on school fees, the loss of BPR for businesses and the National Insurance Change means that they're in a very unpopular spot, because they're playing student politics. "They're pleasing their think tanks that have been excited about Labour winning and not being in power for 14 years, and they got drunk on power.
“The only way they're going to realise that is by a bloody nose in the local elections, when I am absolutely sure Labour is going to lose a hell of a lot of seats.” She warned: “What everybody seems to forget is that you need for farms, for affordable, safe food, and for food security. “There is a global shortage of food and it's getting worse every year.
” Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol last month, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted the majority of farms would not be affected by the IHT changes. He added: "We're for working people who need to be better off, who've really struggled over recent years. "We're for everybody who wants to and needs to rely on the NHS, which is on its knees, and we've got to pick it up and we will and get those waiting lists down.
"We're for the people who absolutely need somewhere safe and secure to live that they can afford. "All of that has to be paid for. We are also for the farmers and the pensioners.
".
