On Wednesday, hundreds of tractors took over central London streets in a protest by farmers against the government’s decision to end an inheritance tax exemption for agricultural families. The controversial measure, criticized as the “tractor tax,” was introduced to raise funds for public services but has been met with strong opposition from farmers who argue it will harm family farms and reduce food production.
The tractors were parked near the Houses of Parliament as farmers aimed to pressure the government into reversing the policy, with some holding signs that read, “No Farmers, No Food, No Future.” Gareth Wyn Jones, a farmer who joined the protest, called it “the final nail in our agricultural coffin.”
Farmers claim their livelihoods have been increasingly squeezed by competition from supermarkets, cheap imports, and subsidy cuts following Brexit. The inheritance tax exemption, which previously allowed farms to be passed down without tax, will end in 2026. The government’s decision has sparked protests across the country, including a large rally in Westminster in mid-November, where 13,000 people gathered. Notable figures, such as TV personality Jeremy Clarkson, known for his show Clarkson’s Farm, also joined the protests.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE