Farmers bring tractors to Budget day protest despite Met police ban
Farmers’ protest kicks off in Whitehall defying police ban
- Farmers staged a protest in Whitehall on Budget day, driving tractors into the area despite restrictions imposed by the Met Police.
- The demonstration was primarily against a proposed 20 per cent inheritance tax on agricultural property valued over £1m, introduced by Rachel Reeves.
- Protest organisers, like Dan Willis, claimed it was impossible to prevent farmers from attending, accusing police of exacerbating a "tinderbox situation" by restricting vehicle access.
- The Met Police had banned tractors from Whitehall, citing potential "serious disruption" to the local area, businesses, and emergency services, limiting them to Richmond Terrace.
- Farmers expressed concerns that the inheritance tax would severely impact family-run businesses, forcing land sales, and highlighted broader issues such as other taxes, low produce prices, and food security, especially as post-Brexit direct payments are phased out.