Our hardworking farmers toil around the clock, seven days a week, and in all weathers, as the steadfast guardians of our beautiful British countryside and to put food on our tables. They deserve nothing less than our utmost respect—not the dismissive ridicule of an out-of-touch and ill-informed Labour MP, writes Claire Bullivant.
I am utterly flabbergasted by the astonishingly ill-judged comments made by Steve Reed, Labour’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.
To suggest that British farmers are “in it for the money” is not only wrong—it’s a barefaced insult to the hardworking men and women who keep this nation fed, preserve our countryside, and embody the spirit of our national identity.
Does Mr Reed have the faintest idea of what it takes to run a farm? Does he understand that for generations, families have toiled from dawn to dusk, braving storms, droughts, and market instability—not for vast riches but to protect their heritage and put food on our tables?
Most farmers don’t just own land; they steward it, nurture it, and pass it down the generations as a precious legacy. This is not about chasing profits. It’s about preserving a way of life that lies at the very heart of our nation.
The Reality of Farming: Seven Days a Week for Little Reward
Let me paint a picture for Mr Reed, who, from his plush ministerial office, seems to think farmers are lounging around in opulent farmhouses counting their piles of cash. These people work seven days a week, often in brutal conditions. They rise before the sun and collapse into bed long after it sets. And all this effort? It’s often rewarded with incomes that would make a London barista blush. Some earn less than the minimum wage, a fact that even Liberal Democrat Tim Farron acknowledged last week in the Commons.
Farmers aren’t in it for yachts and caviar—they’re in it for their families, their communities, and the countryside they cherish. They are the unsung guardians of Britain’s green and pleasant land, maintaining hedgerows, protecting wildlife habitats, and ensuring our countryside remains the envy of the world.
Labour’s ‘Family Farm Tax’: A Betrayal of Rural Britain
But let’s move to the crux of the matter. Labour’s disastrous “family farm tax” will impose a 20% inheritance tax on farm assets worth over £1 million from April 2026. And who decides the arbitrary figure of £1 million? In rural Britain, where land values are high but cash flow is often razor-thin, this threshold captures far more farmers than Labour would like to admit.
The government’s own figures show this tax will decimate family farms, forcing sales of land and equipment just to settle tax bills. Tractor rallies and mass protests have erupted across the country, with farmers—those quiet, reserved stalwarts of rural life—taking to the streets in sheer desperation. Yet, Mr Reed has the gall to dismiss these concerns, saying most farms won’t pay. Tell that to the grieving family of the farmer who tragically took his own life over fears he would become a financial burden to his loved ones.
Labour’s Assault on Farmers Is an Assault on Britain
This isn’t just a tax policy—it’s an all-out assault on the soul of rural Britain. When you tax farms into oblivion, you don’t just harm farmers. You harm the local communities they sustain, the supply chains they power, and the entire ecosystem of food production that supports this nation.
What Labour fails to grasp is that this isn’t about balance sheets or profit margins. It’s about culture, identity, and a sense of duty. Farmers don’t clock off at 5pm or count hours; they embody the best of British resilience and dedication. Without them, our countryside would wither, our food would be imported from far-flung places, and our national pride would take a devastating blow.
Steve Reed’s Insult and the Dangerous Road Ahead
For Labour MP Reed to accuse farmers of being “in it for the money” is not just tone-deaf—it’s offensive. It shows a profound ignorance of the sacrifices these people make daily. Worse, it underscores Labour’s increasing detachment from the values of hard work, legacy, and community that underpin our rural areas.
If this Labour government continues down this path, the consequences will be dire. Farmers will abandon the profession, fields will fall fallow or be covered in solar panels and wind farms from China, and the very fabric of our countryside will unravel. And for what? A misguided ideological crusade that punishes the very people who feed us and keep Britain thriving.
A Plea for Common Sense
To the NFU, to every farmer, and to every Briton who values their countryside, let me say this: the fight is not over. The campaign against Labour’s inheritance tax must be relentless. Stand firm, for you are the backbone of this country, the custodians of its beauty, and the providers of its sustenance.
As for Mr Reed and his cohorts, I have one piece of advice: take a break from your echo chamber, roll up your sleeves, and spend a week on a farm. Perhaps then you’ll understand that farmers are not just “in it for the money.” They are in it for Britain. And Britain cannot afford to lose them.
Claire Bullivant
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