Farmers take part in a go-slow protest in Dover, Kent, to show their unhappiness at the Labour gover (Image: PA)
A slow tractor protest was winding through Dover towards its busy port 150 farmers vented their frustration at Rachel Reeves’ inheritance tax plans – with 100 more expected to join them.
The demonstration is is being organised jointly by the Save British Farming (SBF) and the Fairness for Farmers of Kent campaign groups.
SBF shared footage of the convoy via Facebook, commenting: “We call on Govt to axe inheritance tax, get an EU veterinary agreement, rule out a USA FTA and sell off to BlackRock; Reverse fast-track removal of BPS; U-turn on pick-up tax; Scrab carbon tax on fertilise; Stop substandard & illegal import; Make the supply chain fair again; Strengthen labelling to protect uk products; Protect and strengthen our weakening food security!”
The two groups previously teamed up forces to bring the biggest ever tractor demo to London in March to protest against lower standard imports in trade deals which they say undercut British farmers.
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?????? Fed-up farmers have staged a go-slow tractor protest around Dover to show their growing exasperation with the Labour Party.
— Farmers Weekly (@FarmersWeekly)
Organisers have described the inheritance tax changes as the “final straw” along with other “aggressively damaging” anti-farming policies.
Posting on X, SBF founder Liz Webster said: “We were promised a new deal by @Keir_Starmer to improve food security with a new EU Veterinary agreement to ensure protection from lower standard imports.
“But @RachelReevesMP instead betrayed farmers with disastrous budget which delivered a poisonous cocktail and a hammer blow to an industry which is already on its knees after years of turbulence and being taken for granted.”
Ms Webster told Express.co.uk 150 tractors were in Dover already, with another 100 expected.
Farmers take part in a go-slow protest in Dover, Kent, to show their unhappiness at the Labour gover (Image: PA)
Farmers are furious at changes being introduced in April which will mean that, from April 2026, Agricultural Property Relief (APR) will only apply to the first £1 million of the estate, with anything over that value taxed at 20%. The Government claims on 500 farmers will be affected – but the National Farmers’ Union (NF claims this is a huge underestimate.
Sir met privately with the leader of the NFU on Monday in a bid the defuse the escalating row.
Downing Street described meeting as “constructive”, and suggested the “serious, grown-up” Government was directly confronting criticism of its plans.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, meanwhile said he hoped his union and the Government could work together on a resolution towards the issue.
The head-to-head follows outrage from agricultural landowners about the proposed tax changes, which will see farmers pay inheritance tax on properties and land worth more than £1 million.
Farmers take part in a go-slow protest in Dover, Kent, to show their unhappiness at the Labour gover (Image: PA)
Asked about reports of an undisclosed meeting, a No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister did meet the National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw on Monday afternoon.
“They had a wide-ranging conversation in which the Prime Minister recognised the strength of feeling about the changes to agricultural property relief set out in the Budget and listened to the NFU’s concerns.”
The Prime Minister and Mr Bradshaw are also understood to have touched upon food security, trade, and other issues affecting farmers.
The Downing Street spokesman added: “In the meeting they discussed the Government’s commitments to solidly protecting the interests of British farmers including in trade negotiations and in public sector procurement, as well as working together to ensure environmental land management schemes deliver for farmers.”
Farmers take part in a go-slow protest in Dover, Kent, to show their unhappiness at the Labour gover (Image: PA)
The Treasury has signalled there will be no U-turn over reforms to inheritance tax on agricultural land, Andrew Muir has said.
The Agriculture Minister told MLAs that if the changes go ahead there will have to be more focus on succession planning for farms in Northern Ireland.
During question time at the Assembly, the Minister said he recognised the Budget announcement had caused “real concern and anger” in the farming community.
From April 2026, previously exempt inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1 million will have to pay inheritance tax at 20%.
A rally in central London earlier this month was attended by an estimated 13,000 people, according to police, alongside a mass lobby of MPs by members of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).