Herts and Essex farmers to join huge protest rally to demonstrate against plans for inheritance tax on their land

Farmers across Hertfordshire and Essex are expected to join a protest rally in Westminster next week to demonstrate against the Government’s new inheritance tax grab on their land.

And they will be taking produce with them to help create the UK’s biggest ‘food bank’ to demonstrate what a vital role the industry plays.

The day of action by farmers follows the announcement in the Budget that a 20% ‘death’ tax will be levied on agricultural land and buildings worth more than £1 million.

Previously, they benefitted from 100% relief, known as APR (agricultural property relief).

Almost 185,000 people have added their names to a national petition calling for the controversial plans to be reversed to save family farms from being broken up and sold.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement was made despite multiple warnings from National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw before the Budget and 3,500 emails sent from union members to MPs.

Immediately afterwards, Mr Bradshaw said: “The current plans to change agricultural property and business property relief (BPR) need to be overturned and fast.

“Farmers are rightly angry and concerned about their future and their family farms, having been reassured by ministers in the lead-up to the budget that APR and BPR changes were not on the table.”

There are two elements to next Tuesday’s rally in London because demand to attend has been overwhelming.

The NFU is staging a lobbying meeting in Westminster, where speakers will take to the rostrum, with MPs also invited to attend.

In tandem, hundreds of farmers aim to take their produce to the capital to create the country’s biggest food bank.