Hundreds of farmers descended upon Parliament in London on Monday, driving their tractors through the city streets. They were protesting a proposed inheritance tax on family farms, announced last year, which has sparked widespread outrage.
The farmers gathered to voice their opposition to the planned changes to inheritance tax laws, which they claim would force them to sell their land and threaten the future of family farming.
Plans by the ruling Labour Party to introduce a 20% inheritance tax rate on farms sparked large protests in November and December.
Much like previous demonstrations, the farmers entered Westminster honking and holding signs saying “We all need a farmer,” “Food security first,” and “Let’s stand together,” among other slogans.
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Speaking to Anadolu, Ed Mason, a protesting farmer, said that they probably will not be able to pay the tax when it comes into force next year.
“We’d have to sell probably a quarter of our land, which makes us more unprofitable,” he said.
He added: “We’re producing cheap food for the country. We’re not getting supported, and we’re being asked to pay more and more tax.”
Jack MacIntosh said the current state of the global market makes what they produce a lot harder to sell, adding that prices also fall short.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK political party, has called on farmers to continue “persistent and peaceful” campaigning on the new inheritance tax rules, saying that Labour MPs with rural constituencies will be “getting scared.”
Future protests will put pressure on the government if they see “local communities getting behind these families” set to be affected by the proposed changes.
The changes, announced in the budget last year and due to come into force in April 2026, scrap an exemption which meant no inheritance tax was due on family farms.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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