Thousands of British farmers have taken to the streets in central London to protest against a proposed inheritance tax hike, which they argue will threaten the survival of family-run farms across the country.
The protesters gathered outside Parliament on Monday, voicing their opposition to the government’s plan to abolish a long-standing tax break for agricultural property in its latest budget.
Currently, agricultural property in the UK is exempt from inheritance tax, a relief that has been in place since the 1990s.
However, under the new tax measures announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, farms valued over £1 million (€1.2 million) will face a 20% tax when the property is inherited after the owner’s death, starting in April 2026.
The move has sparked outrage among farmers who claim the tax change will place an unbearable financial burden on family farms already grappling with challenges such as climate change, global instability, and the economic disruptions caused by Brexit.
They argue that the tax hike will force many to sell their land, undermining British food security.
“Everyone’s mad,” said Olly Harrison, a fifth-generation farmer from Liverpool and one of the protest organizers. “People want to take to the streets, block roads, and go full French,” he added, referencing the often disruptive protests seen in France.
The demonstration, which saw tractors adorned with signs reading “The final straw” and “No farmers, no food,” was organized by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
The protest also included children riding toy tractors around Parliament Square. A significant number of farmers were invited into Parliament for a “mass lobby” to directly appeal to lawmakers.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw described the tax change as a direct threat to British food security. “The human impact of this policy is simply not acceptable, it’s wrong,” Bradshaw said. “It’s kicking the legs out from under British food security.”
The last decade has been a turbulent period for UK farmers. Many supported Brexit in the hope of escaping the European Union’s complex agricultural policies, but they now find themselves facing additional financial strain from new trade agreements, rising inflation, and bureaucratic delays in government support.
The loss of income over the last five years has left many farmers struggling, and the proposed inheritance tax change is seen as the final blow.
Harrison, who grows cereal crops near Liverpool, shared his personal experience, saying, “Four out of the last five years, we’ve lost money.
The only thing that’s kept me going is doing it for my kids.” He added that the ability to leverage the land’s value to secure loans had been a lifeline, but that would no longer be possible under the new tax regime.
Supporters of the tax, including some members of Starmer’s government, argue that it will help to recoup money from wealthy individuals who have invested in agricultural land, driving up farmland prices.
Starmer’s spokeswoman, Camilla Marshall, acknowledged that the decision was “difficult,” but emphasized that it would not be reconsidered.
While the government maintains that 75% of farms will not be affected by the new tax, and that various loopholes exist for farming couples to pass on estates worth up to £3 million tax-free, many farmers remain unconvinced.
The protests, which saw both grassroots farmers and some senior Conservative lawmakers joining in, underscore the deep dissatisfaction felt within the agricultural community.
As the debate over the inheritance tax continues, it remains to be seen whether the government’s position will shift in response to the mounting pressure from the farming sector.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members