Farmers shut down Westminster today in a major protest against one of the key tax increase measures in Rachel Reeves’ budget.

Around ten thousand people came to hear speeches and criticize the government over its proposed tax raid, which many fear would destroy Britain’s long tradition of family farms.

Jeremy Clarkson said he implored the government “to be big, to accept that this was rushed through, that it wasn’t done all the way through…and to back off.”

While Nigel Farage warned today is only the beginning of “a real fight”.

L’Express explains why farmers are so angry, what Rachel Reeves says and how you can help.

Before Rachel Reeves’ first budget last month, farms were eligible for 100% inheritance tax on agricultural and commercial properties.

However, the government is changing this by introducing a new rule whereby farms worth more than £1 million will be subject to an effective inheritance tax rate of 20% on assets exceeding the threshold.

Ms Reeves and Environment Secretary Steve Reed insist that this rate is both lower than the usual 40% IHT rate and that the actual threshold will be £3 million when exemptions are granted for each partner and that agricultural property will be taken into account.

The Treasury has therefore concluded that only 500 farms will be affected by the changes, and only these will be affected by the 20% IHT rate, while bringing in “around £1 billion a year for taxpayers”.

The tax can be paid in installments over 10 years without interest, rather than immediately after the death of the farm owner.

However, thousands of farmers say they will also be hit by the tax rise and passionately reject the Treasury’s own cost estimates.

The National Farmers Union says £1 million could buy just 50 acres and a house, given current land prices, but the average farm in Britain is more than 250 acres.

The Country Land and Business Association said capping farm property support (APR) would actually damage 70,000 UK farms, in turn damaging the countryside and putting food security at risk.

A survey of farms by the Department of the Environment suggested that between 30 and 35 per cent of farms in Britain could be valued at more than £1 million, or between £63,000 and £73,000. potentially affected people.

The new rules combine APR and Business Property Relief (BPR), with the Treasury determining how many farms have claimed the former, but not the latter.

Agriculture Minister Daniel Zeichner and other rural Labor MPs agreed there is a “discrepancy” between Treasury figures and those from the NFU and other pro-farmer bodies.

CAAV’s Jeremy Moody also rejects the government’s claim that the real threshold will be £3 million for many farms due to couple and family home allowances.

He emphasizes that for this to be the case, the farm would have to be jointly owned and neither party owns any personal property.

While farmers’ personal wealth is often the envy of those on the left, many struggle to earn a decent income.

Average income across all farm categories fell last year, with the average annual income falling to less than £50,000.

Grain farms saw their income fall by 73%, with a 68% drop for day farmers compared to 2022/23.

Most farmers say being hit by inheritance tax would mean selling their land would be the only option.

It is estimated that around 10,000 farmers turned out for today’s major agricultural demonstration in Whitehall, with tractors, paraphernalia and placards condemning Keir Starmer.

Speakers on the main stage included Jeremy ClarksonKemi Badenoch and Ed Davey. Mr Clarkson took aim at the Government, but also complained that public criticism over the cost of produce grown and raised in Britain is leading farmers to want to package it.

Unlike recent pro-Palestinian and Just Stop Oil protests, the rally was peaceful, with no bad behavior or arguments with the Met Police.

At one point, the children of farmers, who were one day to inherit the farms, took part in a toy tractor race in front of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union held a mass meeting at the corner of the church hall, after which it encouraged participants to march to Parliament and demand meetings with their MPs.

Many critics are calling on the government to completely cancel the planned tax hike,

Jeremy Clarkson said: “For the sake of everyone here and all the farmers stuck at home today, paralyzed by a fog of despair at what has been imposed on them, I implore the government to be big, to accept that this was hastily passed, that it was not. This is not thought out, and it is a mistake. That’s the big thing to do: admit it and back off! »

THE Conservatives have pledged to abolish the tax as soon as they take power, saying they rejected it when officials suggested it before leaving government.

In the meantime Nigel Faragethe UK’s Reform leader, said he at least wanted to see a review of the planned £1 million threshold, which would hit the middle tier of farms.