Furious farmers defy tractor ban as they descend on Westminster | Politics | News
Farmers angry at Labor plans to impose an inheritance tax on farmland have spoken out against a tractor ban in Westminster as they make their voices heard ahead of Rachel Reeves’ second Budget. People from across the country have flocked to central London to protest the Chancellor’s plan to impose a 20% tax on farmland and businesses worth more than £1 million next April, following a series of similar demonstrations since the measures were announced last year.
On Tuesday evening the Metropolitan Police said conditions had been introduced to prevent people from bringing tractors and agricultural vehicles to the event and to restrict the demonstration to a specific area in Richmond Terrace, Whitehall.
Officials said the decision was taken due to the “serious disruption” the vehicles could cause to the local area, including businesses, emergency services and the public. Tractors were seen heading to Westminster on Wednesday morning, defying the ban; but there were banners bearing messages such as “No farms, no food, no future” and “Idiots vote Labour”.
On the event page set up for the protest by organizer Berkshire Farmers, a spokesperson wrote that it was designed to “demand justice and a future for British farming” and to insist Labor back down on inheritance tax changes that “threaten family farms and rural livelihoods”.
Following the statement, the police said that imposing such restrictions “in such a short time” was a “malicious approach to hinder our right to protest, leaving little time for appeal or for demands to be met”.
Jonathan Charlesworth, the Yorkshire farmer whose father John committed suicide in anticipation of the upcoming inheritance tax policy, said: “All previous farmers’ protests have been peaceful and well organised; this is an awareness event expressing the legitimate concerns of UK farmers about the bleak outlook for UK farming businesses.”
He told the Daily Mail: “I do not believe there is any basis for any of the reasons given for canceling the tractor convoy, given that much more divisive marches took place on the same day, including pro-Palestinian marches and the Stand Against Racism march, along with the Tommy Robinson march.”
“It screams two-tier policing to protect the government from further negative publicity on another Budget day that is likely to bring further hardship not just to farmers but to working families from all walks of life.”
Shadow Environment Minister Victoria Atkins added: “Farmers deserve answers. Police have changed their minds with less than 24 hours to go, having worked with farmers over the last 12 days to ensure a safe and effective protest over vindictive Family Farm and Business Taxes… This just doesn’t smell right, especially when we consider the regular and frequent protests permitted in SW1, which recklessly inconvenience motorists, residents and businesses. Is this for the Chancellor to escape embarrassment? A budget for broken promises?”
A Met spokesperson said: “We have had a number of discussions with protest organizers to manage the event safely. Although people will still be able to demonstrate, conditions have been put in place to prevent protesters from bringing vehicles, including tractors or other agricultural equipment, to the protest. This decision has been taken due to the serious disruption they could cause to the local area, including businesses, emergency services and Londoners going about their day.”
