Nigel Farage unleashes furious attack on Labour’s nightmare inheritance tax raid

Nigel Farage launched a furious attack on Labour’s nightmare inheritance tax raid on farmers as he backed the Daily Express crusade to protect rural communities.

The Reform UK leader will join tens of thousands of farmers on Monday in a mass “rural revolt”.

The demonstration, dubbed “The Battle for Britain”, has gained support from farmers, business leaders, and politicians who warn the policy could cripple British agriculture, drive up food prices, and destroy rural communities.

Mr Farage warns that and Rachel Reeves’ “relentless” assault will destroy communities across the countryside.

Writing exclusively in the Daily Express, he says their actions are “nothing short of a betrayal against our agricultural industry and rural communities”.

He said the campaign has now become a rural revolt against all forms of inheritance tax.

“Labour promised not to raise taxes, to secure our borders, “smash the gangs” and grow the economy,” he said.

“They have failed on every front. Now, we are all paying the price for Labour’s reckless policies and disregard for the British public.”

Mr Farage says farming is the “backbone of our country”, providing essential food supplies while sustaining rural employment.

“It is an industry we cannot afford to lose,” he says.

The farming industry provides 470,000 jobs nationwide and contributes more than £11billion annually to the British economy.

When factoring in the broader food and drink supply chain, this figure rises to £120billion per year.

Mr Farage says the attack on farming is “not just a rural issue — it is a national issue”.

“For Labour, the countryside is not just an afterthought. They have total disdain for it. For Reform UK, it is a priority.”

The Brexiteer will join one hundred tractors on their journey to Whitehall as they congregate at Belmont Farm in North London.

Protesters are calling on MPs to scrap IHT hikes that they say could force families to sell off their farms.

At the heart of the protest is the Government’s plan to tighten inheritance tax relief on farmland, which they say will lead to generations-old family farms being broken up and sold off to cover tax bills.”

Since 1992, Agricultural Property Relief (APR) has allowed farms to be passed down tax-free, keeping the UK’s food production alive.

But from April 2026, a £1million cap will be slapped on tax-free inheritance, with anything above taxed at 20% – lower than the usual 40%.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed claims this will raise £200million a year for public services and estimates only 500 estates a year will pay more tax.

Farmers say that’s misleading, as the new rules lump together APR and Business Property Relief (BPR) – previously a separate allowance for machinery and assets.

With some equipment costing £500,000 alone, they say the £1million threshold will be swallowed up fast.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) says 66%of UK farms are worth over £1million, meaning far more farmers will face this tax burden than Labour claims.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw warns the changes protect wealthy landowners with “a few acres let out for grazing” while hammering real farmers producing Britain’s food.

The tax has angered some of Labour’s rural MPs – many elected with narrow wins – who could face a backlash. Ann Mallalieu, a Labour peer, says many already regret voting for the party.