Southampton football legend Matt Le Tissier has thrown his weight behind farmers protesting outside St Mary’s Stadium, declaring himself “pretty disgusted” with the government’s treatment of British agriculture.
Fourteen tractors lined up in an impressive display of agricultural might. The protest, organised by farming communities, created a powerful visual statement ahead of the Premier League match against Newcastle. The farmers strategically positioned their vehicles outside the stadium before the 3 PM kick-off, drawing significant attention from arriving football supporters. The demonstration was orchestrated to voice opposition to Labour’s proposed changes to inheritance tax, which has become known as the “Family Farms Tax.” Le Tissier was interviewed explaining his support.
The former Saints midfielder, who spent his entire professional career at the club, joined demonstrators outside the ground where he once dazzled crowds with his sublime skill. But this time, Le Tissier was championing a different cause: the survival of British farming.
“No farmers, no food,” Le Tissier told protesters gathered at the stadium parking a row of Tractors. “It’s as simple as that.” The outspoken former footballer expressed deep concern about the state of British agriculture and called for farmers to receive “a fair price for what they can do.”
Le Tissier’s intervention comes amid growing unrest in the farming community, with protests spreading across the country. The demonstration at St Mary’s is part of a wider movement highlighting the challenges faced by British farmers, from rising costs to concerns about food security.
The demonstration follows in the footsteps of other high-profile protests across the country, notably supported by farming advocate and TV personality Jeremy Clarkson. The star of “Clarkson’s Farm” has been a vocal champion of the cause, having warned that the new inheritance tax plans would spell “the end” for farmers. Clarkson has been particularly active in the movement, joining thousands of protesters in Westminster and demanding that the government “back down” from their proposed changes.
Drawing on goings on in America, where the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative is getting traction, Le Tissier connected the dots between farming and public health. “We don’t want to be relying on the plastic food that people are trying to sell us in supermarkets,” he said, emphasising the importance of supporting local agriculture.
The Southampton icon, who scored 209 goals for the club during his illustrious career, urged the public to take action by contacting their MPs and local councillors about the farming crisis. “We’re going to stand together and we’re going to crack on,” he declared, rallying supporters to the farmers’ cause.
The demonstration at Southampton’s home ground continues the dispute between British farmers and the Keir Starmer’s UK government over agricultural policies and fair compensation for food production. With the backing of prominent figures like Le Tissier, the movement appears to be gaining momentum across the country.
