Westminster is awash with tractors, wellington boots, and union flags today as tens of thousands of farmers, joined by high-profile supporters Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Clarkson, descended on the capital to protest against the Government’s controversial changes to inheritance tax on agricultural property.
The protest follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement in last month’s budget that farms worth more than £1 million will no longer be exempt from inheritance tax, with a 20 per cent levy to take effect from April 2026.
The decision has been branded a “betrayal” by farming leaders, with widespread fears that the policy could devastate family farms and threaten the UK’s food security.
Farmers Take to the Streets
The day’s events, organised by the National Farmers Union (NFU), began with a mass lobby on College Green, where farmers gave three cheers for their president, Tom Bradshaw. Hundreds of farmers met with MPs, including many from Labour’s new intake, to voice their anger over the policy.
Speaking at Church House, just a stone’s throw from Parliament, Mr Bradshaw did not mince his words: “We know the horrendous pressure this is putting on the older generation of farmers, who have given everything to provide your food for this country. The human impact of this policy is simply not acceptable.”
He added, “This policy is kicking the legs out of food security,” urging farmers to join the larger protest in Parliament Square later in the day.
Star Voices Join the Fight
Among the crowd were musical theatre legend Andrew Lloyd Webber and outspoken presenter-turned-farmer Jeremy Clarkson, who have both voiced strong support for the farming community. Clarkson, who runs a farm in Oxfordshire and stars in Clarkson’s Farm, has been a vocal critic of Labour’s agricultural policies.
The presence of these high-profile figures added star power to an already determined crowd, with banners reading “Save Our Farms” and chants calling out the Government’s “farmer harmer” approach.
‘Farmer Harmer Starmer’ Under Fire
Addressing the crowd, Conservative MP Victoria Atkins lambasted Sir Keir Starmer’s Government, branding the Prime Minister “Farmer Harmer Starmer.” Wearing a bold union flag blazer and wellington boots, she declared, “What we are doing today, ladies and gentlemen, is putting our boots on, standing with our farmers, and saying to Farmer Garner Starmer that it’s not good enough.”
Ms Atkins accused the Government of abandoning the countryside, saying: “They have reduced the payments that our farmers rely on, which means I have tenant farmers saying to me that next year they don’t know if they can pay their rent.”
She further accused Labour of breaking promises, arguing that the Tory Party remains “the party of the countryside.”
A Betrayal of Food Security
Farmers are particularly alarmed by the changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, which have historically allowed many family farms to pass down through generations tax-free. The NFU and its members argue that the new policy will force families to sell off land to cover tax bills, disrupting operations and undermining the UK’s self-sufficiency in food production.
Mr Bradshaw warned: “This is not just about inheritance; it’s about the future of farming in this country. It’s about whether the UK can continue to produce the food that its people need.”
The Road Ahead
As protesters marched from College Green to Parliament Square, it was clear this was more than just a protest—it was a rallying cry for Britain’s farmers. The mass turnout, bolstered by the presence of household names like Lloyd Webber and Clarkson, sends a strong message to the Government: the farming community will not go down without a fight.
While the Government has yet to respond to the growing backlash, today’s events have made one thing clear—Labour’s inheritance tax plans have ignited a firestorm in the countryside that isn’t likely to fade any time soon.
As chants of “Save Our Farms” echo through Westminster, the question remains: will Sir Keir Starmer listen to the voices of Britain’s farmers, or will Labour press ahead with policies that critics warn could devastate the backbone of rural Britain?
