Persistent and peaceful campaigning by farmers ‘could get change’, says Farage

“Persistent and peaceful” campaigning by farmers on new inheritance tax rules could “get change”, Nigel Farage has said.

The Reform UK leader predicted that Labour MPs in rural seats would be “getting scared”, and would put pressure on Number 10 if they see “local communities getting behind these families” who have been impacted by the changes.

Farmers will stage another tractor protest outside Parliament on Monday as their campaign against the new tax rules continues.

Labour has insisted it will not make a U-turn on its plans to introduce a 20% inheritance tax rate on farms worth more than £1 million.

The changes announced in the Budget are due to come into force in April 2026 and scrap an exemption which meant no inheritance tax was paid to pass down family farms.

Monday’s tractor rally, organised by Save British Farming, comes as MPs debate an e-petition with more than 148,000 signatures calling to keep the current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms.

Speaking at a Farmers To Action campaign event in north London before the event in Westminster, Mr Farage told the PA news agency: “I’m pleased to see the campaign is ramping up. It’s growing right across the country.

“The message I’ve been putting to them, I think they’re listening too, which is 100 Labour MPs now represent rural seats – if they see local communities getting behind these families, they’re going to start getting scared, and they’re going to start putting pressure on No 10, and let’s face it, they’re in pretty big trouble already.

“So I think if this campaign is persistent and peaceful, they can get change.”

Mr Farage, who was joined at the event by professional boxer Derek Chisora, said the protesters had been “behaving impeccably” and should continue to be “voluble, but peaceful within the law”.

Mr Farage also advocated “just getting rid of inheritance tax as a whole”.

Asked if he thought the measure should be scrapped completely, Mr Farage said:  “Yes, I do actually. You’re basically taxing money that’s been taxed already as a death tax, and it’s horrible.

“People living in semi-detached houses in London are now dragged into inheritance tax. And yes, of course, you can do seven-year planning and all the rest of it, but unlikely things happen. I honestly believe just getting rid of inheritance tax as a whole would be a good thing.”

Alan Hughes, a farmer in the Hereford-Shropshire border region, said he had to run farm diversifications “just to stay afloat and pay the bills”.

Addressing the crowd at the Farmers To Action campaign event at Belmont Farm, Mr Hughes, 36, added: “My fear, like many here, is that I will be the last generation to farm our land.

“Labour do not want farmers. They want large corporations to produce food, because they know those that control the food we eat, control the nation.”

Aiming his remarks at the Government, Mr Hughes added: “You need to abolish inheritance tax for all. You need to stop taxing us to the hilt while sending our money abroad and sort out our national infrastructure and food security.”

The National Farmers’ Union – which has organised previous protests on the issue – said it supports any of its members taking part on Monday.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “The strength of feeling around the proposed family farm tax is still incredibly high.

“We support any members who want to take part in other respectful and lawful demonstrations which work towards our aim to stop the family farm tax.”