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LIVE: Jeremy Clarkson gives stark warning as farm protest descends on Whitehall

19 November 2024, 11:33 | Updated: 19 November 2024, 13:18

Jeremy Clarkson gives stark warning as farm protest descends on Whitehall.
Jeremy Clarkson gives stark warning as farm protest descends on Whitehall. Picture: Alamy

By Katy Ronkin

Thousands of farmers are in Whitehall today to protest Labour's planned changes to inheritance tax on farms worth over £1m.

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The protests are led by celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson, who warned that the proposed changes would mean "the end" for family farming.

Thousands of farmers have arrived for the demonstration in central London, with some arriving in their tractors.

Meanwhile, at a separate event at Church House in Westminster, National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Tom Bradshaw told members that changes to inheritance tax "will rip the heart of family farms".

Mr Bradshaw received a standing ovation from the gathered farmers after his impassioned speech, in which he said an estimated 75% of commercial farm businesses "were caught in the eye of this storm" of a policy which he described as a "stab in the back".

For the latest updates follow our live blog.

Henry Riley updates James O'Brien on the mood at the scene of the Westminster protests.

"Direct hit to family farms like ours"

Alec Boothroyd is a farmer from Pontefract who told LBC he's incredibly happy with the result of the march.

He said: "The turnout itself was a real show of solidarity and I feel more supported than ever. Lots of emotional moments and a huge shout out to Jeremy clarksons speech. 

"This change isn’t aimed at big farms that can afford to sell of acreage, this is a direct hit to family farmers holding farms for 4+ generations like ours."

In case you missed it: Nick Ferrari speaks to Tom Tugenhadt

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat thinks Labour's treatment of farmers with the Budget 'poses a threat to our national security'.

Tractors of all sizes are at the protest

Picture: PA
Picture: Alamy

Farmers protest turned red carpet?

Jeremy Clarkson isn't the only celebrity spotted at the protest today. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Clarkson's Farm stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland are also in attendance.

Kaleb Cooper (left) and Charlie Ireland (right).
Kaleb Cooper (left) and Charlie Ireland (right).

'Your number crunchers have their sums wrong' - Farage sends a message to the Chancellor

Nigel Farage has told LBC that Rachel Reeve's plan "needs a rethink." 

The Reform UK leader is attending the protest and warned that "decent people will not survive" the increase in tax.

He said: "Your number crunchers in the treasury have got their sums wrong, as they nearly always do. 

"The little guys will survive, the agribusiness will survive, all these decent people today will not survive this.

"It needs a rethink."

Nigel Farage.
Nigel Farage. Picture: Alamy

Environment Secretary pushes back on claims from critics that Labour did not understand the countryside

Environment Secretary Steve Reed dismissed claims from critics that Labour did not understand the countryside.

He told the PA news agency: "This Labour Government has just allocated £5 billion to support sustainable food production in the UK. 

 "That's the biggest budget of that kind in our country's history and it shows that we're backing farmers. 

 "We've gone further than that as well, £60 million to help farmers affected by flooding, we're going to cut farmers' energy bills by setting up GB Energy, we're going to seek a new trade deal with the European Union so we can get food exports moving across the border again and we're launching the first-ever cross-government rural crime strategy. 

 "All of that shows farmers that this is a government on their side and the changes to inheritance tax will affect only around 500 farms. The vast majority of farmers will pay nothing more." 

The protest in pictures

Picture: Alamy
Picture: Alamy
Picture: Alamy
Picture: Alamy

What are the farmers protesting?

The farmers in London today are protesting against changes to inheritance tax proposed by Rachel Reeves in her Budget last month.

 The inheritance tax changes for farming businesses in the Budget limit the 100% relief for farms to only the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property.

However, they will pay a 20% tax rate, rather than the standard 40% applied to other land and property.

The National Farmers Union says the government has betrayed them.
The National Farmers Union says the government has betrayed them. Picture: Alamy

Farmers are concerned that the change will end family farms in the UK because the returns from farming are often very low, so farming families may not have the cash to pay the tax without selling off assets.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said the current system had become "the most effective way for the super-rich to avoid paying their inheritance tax", forcing up rural land prices and stopping young farmers owning their own land.

Ministers have continued to insist that the majority of farms would not be affected. 

More than 10,000 people attending Farmers' protest -Met Police

More than 10,000 people are estimated to be in attendance at the Farmers' protest in Whitehall, said the Met police in a post to X. 

They also said there are "no issues" to report.

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