Hundreds of farmers are participating in a mass tractor rally in London today as calls continue to ramp up for the government to do more to boost the industry.
The tractor rally - dubbed 'RIP British Farming' - is taking place on Wednesday (11 December) due to 'disastrous and damaging anti-farming policies', according to organisers.
Parallel protests are also taking place in cities across the UK, including in capitals Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.
Concern is particularly centred on the government's farm inheritance tax plans, which will impose a 20% inheritance tax on farm assets worth £1m or more from April 2026.
However, there are also worries within the industry over the impact of future post-Brexit trade deals, substandard food imports and the recent removal of farming grants.
It follows numerous UK-wide rallies over the last few weeks, including a huge protest of over 20,000 farmers in central London on 19 November.
Industry campaigners at Save British Farming and Fairness for Farmers, who are behind today's tractor rallies, said the industry faced a 'hammer blow' following the budget.
In London, the protest commenced from 10am in Whitehall, and from noon speeches from leading industry figures will be made.
More tractors pic.twitter.com/ZsjnTceFa3
— Gareth Wyn Jones (@1GarethWynJones) December 11, 2024
The tractors are here in Westminster!
— Phil Broadhead (@PhilBroadhead) December 11, 2024
Want to try to force @labour to drop their damaging Family Farm Tax? Sign the petition below!https://t.co/oQkpJ6elHS pic.twitter.com/S25C1O0mw4
At around 12.45pm, the tractors their way around a pre-organised rally route, with a goal to finish at 3pm.
Attendees were reminded to ensure tractors are roadworthy and that the London congestion charge must be paid.
Farmers were also encouraged to bring farm-themed toys as part of a Christmas donation for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Campaigners at Save British Farming and Fairness for Farmers had urged as many farmers as possible to attend.
They said: "This government promised a new deal for farming to improve food security by negotiating a new veterinary agreement with the EU and ensure protection from lower standard imports.
"But Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer instead betrayed farmers with their disastrous budget which delivered a poisonous cocktail and a hammer blow to an industry which is already on its knees."
Farmers & their tractors are in Westminster this morning, ahead of Prime Ministers Questions later. It’s their second protest in as many months against changes to inheritance tax. pic.twitter.com/uatwJrxJeB
— Charlie Frost (@frostreports) December 11, 2024
Tractors are on their way to Westminster! #FarmersProtest ???? pic.twitter.com/SAz5ZLnS7l
— Sabina (@Beanss33) December 11, 2024
Jeff Gibson, founder of Fairness For Farmers, asked 'what future does farming have' following the budget and wider government policy over the past few years.
"We can’t compete with substandard dangerous imports, for e.g. growth hormones have been banned in this country for over 50 years.
"Yet this new government who are about to get into bed with Trump for yet another terrible trade deal for hormone fed beef."
He also warned of the inheritance tax proposal: “We are happy and immensely proud to provide food without any real financial gain, in the hope we can pass our farms, which we’ve worked so hard to protect and care for, to the next generation.
“The questions I ask you today are what future does farming have? Can we really expect the next generation to start their farming careers paying 10 years of tax burden because we died?"
