Farmers threaten to block every port in Britain amid plans to protest in London as fury continues to grow over Rachel Reeves inheritance tax raid
Farmers are threatening to block every port in Britain as fury continues to grow over Rachel Reeves inheritance tax raid.
Farmers are threatening to block every port in Britain as fury continues to grow over Rachel Reeves inheritance tax raid.
Discussions are also being held to withhold livestock in a bid to slow down the supply to supermarkets which could cause food shortages on shelves.
Farmers are said to have felt betrayed by Sir Keir Starmer as one farmer warned: The Government and supermarkets need to realise the control we have as farmers.
Under plans announced in last weeks Budget, inheritance tax will be charged at 20 per cent on agricultural assets above £1million - although Ms Reeves has said that in some cases the threshold could in practice be about £3million.
While the 20 per cent figure still represents a relief of 50 per cent compared to the standard rate, farming unions and opposition parties have criticised the move.
There are fears fresh protests or blockades could bring vital parts of the UKs food industry to a standstill
Chancellor Rachel Reeves outside 11 Downing Street ahead of the Budget last Wednesday
They argue it will make British farms uncompetitive - and, as the backlash continues to intensify, a group of plotters are now considering strike dates around a rally being organised by the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Westminster on November 19.
One farmer with inside knowledge of the potential blockade told the Telegraph: They will block every port in the UK if they have to.
[This] could be a possibility to slow down the supply in the supermarket. The Government and supermarkets need to realise the control we have as farmers. The good thing with that is you have farmers everywhere so you can cover all the ports.
Farmers may also stop taking sewage sludge and biosolids - remains of human waste after liquid has been removed - from water treatment plants in another move to down their pitch forks.
Reports claimed that in online message forums, farmers are encouraging others to contact their sludge suppliers and notify them of a temporary halt to all deliveries.
Experts say this could cause chaos for sewage and water companies as farmers in the UK take about 3.6 million tonnes of sewage sludge from water treatment plants and spread it on agricultural land.
Clive Bailye, the founder of the Farming Forum, said that although farmers were very worried about going to prison they felt they needed to do something.
Ive got thousands of messages from farmers asking me how, when, where, he said.
Merseyside arable farmer Olly Harrison, an unofficial spokesman for the group, told MailOnline this week: Never before have farmers been so united - sadly its in anger over this issue and they will not take it lying down, especially after the worst harvest ever.
The YouTube and Instagram star added: Most dont do this job for the money, they do it for the kids, and taking this right away through poorly thought out Government policy is horrifying. We already risk our home with the weather every day playing snakes and ladders, and now the Government has just cut the rungs off the ladders.
This decision has already proved itself to be costing farmers more than money.
Mr Harrison also told The Times: They say we are only ever four meals away from anarchy.
What Rachel Reeves doesnt understand is how fragile the food supply chain is, and we saw in Covid how it only took a few days of panic buying to cause shortages.
If we stop goods leaving farms for a day or two it will happen faster than you think.
Mr Harrison added that there would be no strike action just yet, given that the US presidential election is currently taking up all the headlines – and there were also no plans to interfere with Remembrance Day or wreck Christmas.
He was speaking after a farmers son accused the Prime Minister of having blood on his hands over the inheritance tax raid after his fathers apparent suicide 24 hours before the budget.
Farmers protest outside the Northern Farming Conference in Hexham in Northumberland against the governments proposals to reform inheritance tax. Pic taken on Wednesday
Farmers drive slowly through central London in protests on food security in March
Farmers demonstrated in London in March over food security fears - and it is feared they could do so again
John Charlesworth, 78, ran a 70-acre farm on the outskirts of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which had been in the grandfather-of-sixs family since the 1950s.
But pre-Budget chatter predicting the tax raid had eaten away at him, according to his 46-year-old son Jonathan, who has been running the farm in recent years.
Mr Charlesworth Jr told the Daily Mail: Im not sure you could publish what Id say to [Sir Keir Starmer]. Hes got blood on his hands. Hes totally destroying an industry we rely on.
He also said worries about the impact of inheritance tax was his fathers main topic of conversation in recent weeks, adding: This Government has absolutely zero understanding of agriculture.
The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Losing anyone to suicide is a tragedy and our sincere thoughts and condolences are with Mr Charlesworths family and friends.
it also emerged that farmers could end up paying thousands of pounds more in car tax after a loophole that benefits pick-up truck drivers was closed in the Budget.
Vehicles such as the Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara will be classed as cars rather than vans from next April when the benefit-in-kind tax break for commercial vehicles ends, the paper reported.
It comes after the new shadow environment secretary said the crass decision to remove some inheritance tax relief for farms had betrayed the Governments lack of knowledge about the countryside.
Victoria Atkins said the move had consigned family farms and businesses to being sold off and split up as families cannot afford massive tax bills.
Writing in the Telegraph, she added: This is a serious mistake that Labour has made in their Budget. Their lack of understanding of the realities of farming was revealed in the crass decision to slash years of careful tax policy to keep family farms intact and protected from inheritance tax.
She suggested the move would make the UK more reliant on imports, adding: If farmers have to set aside money for a potential tax raid rather than investing in the farm, it will no doubt impact food production, increase prices and make British farmers less competitive.
Merseyside arable farmer Olly Harrison (pictured), a YouTuber and unofficial spokesman for the plotters, said the Chancellor doesnt understand how fragile the food supply chain is
Farmers protest outside the Northern Farming Conference in Hexham, Northumberland on November 6
Ms Reeves has defended her proposed reforms to inheritance tax on farms by claiming it is not affordable to keep the current system.
Meanwhile one of the UKs largest animal feed producers has warned that the changes will have a negative impact on food security.
George Weston, boss of Associated British Foods, which supplies farmers with feed and technology services, said the taxes on farms pose a threat to the countrys ability to grow its own food.
He said: If we are to grow more of our own food and benefit from the food security of growing things ourselves, then I think policymakers have got to create a more attractive environment for that farming community.
These changes to inheritance tax obviously operate in a very different direction.
