In a stunning turn of events, the UK farming community has swiftly and vehemently turned against the Labour government over proposed changes to inheritance tax on farming land. Despite Labour’s significant gains in rural constituencies during the last election, farmers are now accusing the party of betrayal and vowing to fight the controversial tax plans.
Farmers Mobilize Against Inheritance Tax Changes
The outrage stems from the government’s budget decision to subject farming assets worth more than £1m to a 20% inheritance tax charge starting from April 2026. While ministers argue that related allowances will effectively raise the payment threshold to £3m and claim that most farms will be unaffected, these reassurances have done little to quell the anger among farmers.
According to Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), the level of dissent is unprecedented. “I’ve never seen anything on a parallel to this,” he stated. “It has cut really deep. The sense of betrayal is another element.”
The human impact is the bit I think this government has unintentionally missed.
– Tom Bradshaw, NFU President
Day of Action and Westminster Rally Planned
Farmers are planning to make their voices heard through two major events on Tuesday. The NFU is organizing meetings between nearly 2,000 farmers and their MPs as part of an official day of action. Simultaneously, a rally in Westminster, largely coordinated via social media, is gaining momentum.
For many farmers, like Hopkin Evans of Marcross Farm in the Vale of Glamorgan, the inheritance tax changes threaten their life’s work and the future of family farms. “We’ve almost reached the point where it’s viable, but will Hopkin be left with a massive overdraft and a massive tax bill?” his mother Sharon asked. “We’ve had the rug pulled out from under our plans, really.”
Political Fallout for Labour
The controversy risks morphing into a broader perception that the new Labour government lacks understanding of rural areas, despite its concerted efforts to win countryside votes. Comments from a former Tony Blair adviser comparing the approach to farmers to Margaret Thatcher’s treatment of miners have further inflamed tensions.
While Labour officials are working to reassure constituents and tout their “new deal for farmers,” political opponents smell blood in the water. The Conservatives see an opportunity to begin winning back lost rural voters, while the Liberal Democrats aim to cement their status as the party of the countryside.
There’s a sense of a real betrayal. A lot of farmers fled the Tories in huge numbers at the election. There’s a sense they feel that the Labour party, at the first opportunity, has done them unnecessary, avoidable harm and come across as completely cloth-eared.
– Tim Farron, Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson
Labour’s Rural Reckoning
As the protests loom and anger simmers, Labour faces a crucial test of its ability to maintain the support of rural communities that played a key role in its election success. The party will need to act swiftly and decisively to address farmers’ concerns and rebuild trust.
For farmers like the Evans family, the stakes could not be higher. “That’s our life’s work,” Sharon Evans said of their farm. “We’ve done it. We’re empty now. There is nowhere to go.” The coming weeks will determine whether Labour can find a way forward with the farming community, or if this sudden schism will have lasting political consequences in the countryside.
