Farmers demonstrating in Buckinghamshire on 13 February. Photo Leon Neal/PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo.
Farmers are not giving up on their struggle against inheritance tax changes and other attacks on their industry.
Keir Starmer had to abandon his visit to a housing development in Buckinghamshire on 13 February due to a noisy protest by tractor-driving farmers. As he beat a retreat in a blacked-out car the protesters shouted, “If you’re in there, just talk to us!”
This action follows a tractor rally in Whitehall organised by Save British Farming on 9 February to coincide with MPs’ debate on an e-petition signed by more than 148,000 people calling for the current inheritance tax arrangements for working farms to remain.
The National Farmers Union president Tom Bradshaw said, “The strength of feeling around the proposed family farm tax is still incredibly high.”
The NFU held a national Farming Day of Unity on 25 January, with scores of events across the UK. Farmers brought food, tractors, and livestock to town centres to raise awareness of the impact of the planned reforms to inheritance tax for farming businesses and force the government to review its decision. As part of the action, a dramatic convoy of 75 tractors crossed the Humber Bridge.
• A longer version of this article is on the web at www.cpbml.org.uk