Why did hundreds of tractors fill the streets of London during a tax fight?
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Snorre Wik (Video Editor)
- Hundreds of tractors swarmed the London borough of Westminster on Monday, Feb. 10, as farmers protested the Labour Party’s upcoming changes to the inheritance tax for operational farms.
- Plans are in place to impose a 20% inheritance tax rate on operational farms worth more than roughly $1.2 million by April 2026.
- The change eliminates a current exemption from the inheritance tax for working farms.
Full Story
Hundreds of tractors swarmed the London borough of Westminster on Monday, Feb. 10, as farmers protested the Labour Party’s upcoming changes to the inheritance tax for operational farms.
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- Thousands of farmers are expected to protest in Whitehall against the Labour government's new inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million, which will impose a 20% tax rate on assets above this threshold.
- The National Farmers' Union reports that 66% of farm businesses in England have a net value exceeding £1 million, raising concerns about their ability to pay the new tax without selling assets.
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that the inheritance tax changes are necessary to address a £22 billion fiscal deficit, despite farmers arguing it could lead to a food crisis.
- Farmers, including NFU President Tom Bradshaw, expressed that the changes create a 'cruellest predicament' for elderly farmers who may not live long enough to benefit from tax exemptions.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Farmers held a tractor protest outside Parliament on Monday, Feb. 10, against changes to inheritance tax rules, organized by Save British Farming.
- The e-petition against the changes has over 148,000 signatures, urging the government to maintain current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms.
- Labour plans to introduce a 20% inheritance tax rate on farms valued over £1 million, with changes set to take effect in April 2026.
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he supports the farmers and urges them to maintain peaceful protests while opposing the tax changes.
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What are farmers protesting?
Plans are in place to impose a 20% inheritance tax rate on operational farms worth more than roughly $1.2 million by April 2026. The change eliminates a current exemption from the inheritance tax for working farms.
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What is the Labour Party saying?
The Labour Party vowed to keep the change in the face of criticism. The vow comes in spite of a petition with nearly 150,000 signatures urging lawmakers to keep exemptions on the so-called “death tax” for working farms.
What does the demonstration aim to achieve?
The demonstration, organized by Save British Farming, is the third time farmers have rolled into the capital since Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the change in 2024.
Save British Farming said despite the Labour Party’s promise to implement the tax, they’re hopeful the mass protest will force members of parliament to negotiate with the agricultural industry.
Protest organizers also warn the government could be “marching into a food crisis” if negotiations do not happen.
British political leaders such as Nigel Farage have backed the movement. Farage called for an end to “death taxes” as he addressed protesting farmers. A Save British Farming organizer told the Independent, however, Farage was not invited to the demonstration and accused him of “jumping on the bandwagon.”
What is the bigger picture?
As Straight Arrow News previously reported, farmers across Europe have rolled into towns with large farm vehicles to oppose policies they see as detrimental to the agricultural industry, including demonstrations last year against the European Union’s climate change policies, which protesting farmers said hurt their ability to make a living.
[KARAH RUCKER]
HUNDREDS OF TRACTORS SWARMED THE LONDON BOROUGH OF WESTMINSTER MONDAY AS FARMERS PROTESTED THE LABOUR PARTY’S UPCOMING CHANGES TO THE INHERITANCE TAX FOR OPERATIONAL FARMS.
PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO IMPOSE A 20 PERCENT INHERITANCE TAX RATE ON OPERATIONAL FARMS WORTH MORE THAN ROUGHLY ONE-POINT-TWO-MILLION DOLLARS BY APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
THE CHANGE ELIMINATES A CURRENT EXEMPTION FROM THE INHERITANCE TAX FOR WORKING FARMS.
THE LABOUR PARTY HAS VOWED TO KEEP THE CHANGE IN THE FACE OF CRITICISM.
THE VOW COMES IN SPITE OF A PETITION WITH NEARLY 150-THOUSAND SIGNATURES URGING LAWMAKERS TO KEEP EXEMPTIONS ON THE SO-CALLED “DEATH TAX” FOR WORKING FARMS.
THE DEMONSTRATION, ORGANIZED BY SAVE BRITISH FARMING, IS THE THIRD TIME FARMERS HAVE ROLLED INTO THE CAPITAL SINCE CHANCELLOR RACHEL REEVES ANNOUNCED THE CHANGE LAST YEAR.
SAVE BRITISH FARMING SAYS DESPITE THE LABOUR PARTY’S PROMISE TO IMPLEMENT THE TAX, THEY’RE HOPEFUL THE MASS PROTEST WILL FORCE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE AG INDUSTRY.
PROTEST ORGANIZERS ALSO WARN THE GOVERNMENT COULD BE “MARCHING INTO A FOOD CRISIS.” IF NEGOTIATIONS DO NOT HAPPEN
BRITISH POLITICAL LEADERS SUCH AS NIGEL FARAGE HAVE BACKED THE MOVEMENT.
FARAGE HAS CALLED FOR AN END TO “DEATH TAXES AS HE ADDRESSED PROTESTING FARMERS.
A SAVE BRITISH FARMING ORGANIZER TOLD THE INDEPENDENT, HOWEVER, FARAGE WAS NOT INVITED TO THE DEMONSTRATION AND ACCUSED HIM OF “JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON.”
AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, FARMERS ACROSS EUROPE HAVE ROLLED INTO TOWNS WITH LARGE FARM VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT TO OPPOSE POLICIES THEY SEE AS DETRIMENTAL TO THE AG INDUSTRY.
INCLUDING DEMONSTRATIONS LAST YEAR AGAINST EUROPEAN UNION CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES, WHICH MANY PROTESTING FARMERS SAID HURT THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE A LIVING.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Thousands of farmers are expected to protest in Whitehall against the Labour government's new inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million, which will impose a 20% tax rate on assets above this threshold.
- The National Farmers' Union reports that 66% of farm businesses in England have a net value exceeding £1 million, raising concerns about their ability to pay the new tax without selling assets.
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that the inheritance tax changes are necessary to address a £22 billion fiscal deficit, despite farmers arguing it could lead to a food crisis.
- Farmers, including NFU President Tom Bradshaw, expressed that the changes create a 'cruellest predicament' for elderly farmers who may not live long enough to benefit from tax exemptions.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Farmers held a tractor protest outside Parliament on Monday, Feb. 10, against changes to inheritance tax rules, organized by Save British Farming.
- The e-petition against the changes has over 148,000 signatures, urging the government to maintain current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms.
- Labour plans to introduce a 20% inheritance tax rate on farms valued over £1 million, with changes set to take effect in April 2026.
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he supports the farmers and urges them to maintain peaceful protests while opposing the tax changes.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
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