Farmers from Hampshire and across Britain descended on Westminster today, their tractors bearing pointed slogans against Labour’s controversial inheritance tax proposals, as the agricultural community stages its second major protest in three months.
The demonstration, organised by Save British Farming (SBF) and Kent Fairness for Farmers, sees tractors rolling into the capital with banners declaring “Starmer the farmer harmer” and “Keir Stalinarmer, global laughing stock – stop the death tax” – a direct attack on Labour’s leadership over their proposed family farm tax reforms.
This fresh wave of protests, timed to coincide with Prime Minister’s Questions, follows November’s mass demonstration which saw thousands of agricultural workers flood Westminster’s streets. Similar demonstrations are planned outside the Welsh Senedd and in towns and cities nationwide, marking a significant escalation in farmers’ opposition to the proposed tax changes.
SBF founder Liz Webster pulled no punches in her assessment of the situation: “The Prime Minister is pulling the rug from under farmers’ feet, aiming to dismantle British farming as we know it,” she said. Webster described the tax raids as the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” highlighting the mounting pressures facing Britain’s agricultural sector.
While the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) isn’t officially involved in today’s protests, its president Tom Bradshaw expressed support for the demonstrators: “These events reflect the strong feelings across the agricultural community. We hope they are well-attended and farmers’ voices are heard.”
The protests represent mounting opposition to Labour’s proposed inheritance tax changes, which farmers claim threaten the future of family-owned farms across Britain. With agricultural workers dubbing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves as ‘grave robbers,’ the demonstrations signal a deepening rift between the farming community and the opposition party.
Today’s coordinated action, with Hampshire farmers joining protestors from across the country, marks a significant moment in the ongoing dispute over the future of British farming and agricultural inheritance rights.
