People face choice between NHS or farmers’ tax breaks, says PM after protest

Sir Keir Starmer claimed voters faced a choice between extra cash for the NHS and stability in the public finances or an inheritance tax break for farmers after a tractor protest disrupted a prime ministerial visit.

The Prime Minister visited a housing development at Milton Keynes as he set out his plans for the next generation of new towns.

But shortly after he began speaking to workers on the site, the ear-splitting sound of musical tractor horns filled the air.

Around a dozen vehicles, gathered on the road outside the site, were shielded from the Prime Minister’s view by a line of trees, but the noise they made was impossible to ignore.

It is the latest in a series of protests staged by farmers in response to the Budget’s changes to agricultural and business inheritance tax relief, which will leave some estates liable for death duties.

The Prime Minister postponed planned media interviews when the visit was cut short on security grounds due to concerns about the protest.

Speaking to broadcasters after returning to London, Sir Keir said: “Yes there was a protest there, and to some extent that draws out quite an important discussion that we have to have as a country.”

Rachel Reeves’ first Budget had to stabilise the UK’s finances he insisted, which included “tough but right decisions” on national insurance contributions for businesses and ending the inheritance tax break for farmers.

Sir Keir said: “These are political choices, but what you can’t have is interest rates coming down, the growth we need in the economy, your waiting lists coming down, and maintain the tax break for farmers.

“People watching this will understand that that is a choice. They will know what they would prefer.

“Do they want their waiting lists to come down, do they want their mortgages to come down, the economy to start working for everyone? That is what we are trying to achieve.

“Or do we want to give tax breaks for farmers? We can’t have both.”

The Prime Minister’s comments came as the latest NHS England figures showed waiting lists dropped for the fourth consecutive month to their lowest figure since April 2023.

An estimated 7.46 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of December in England, relating to 6.24 million patients – down from 7.48 million treatments and 6.28 million patients at the end of November.

But a record number of people in England waited more than 12 hours after being admitted to A&E before receiving care last month.

Farmer Richard Miles, who travelled from Welford, Northamptonshire, to take part in the protest, told the PA news agency: “We are not being listened to at all, that’s why we feel we have to come and see him in person.”

As the Range Rover carrying the Prime Minister left the site, farmers could be heard shouting “just talk to us” as the car drove slowly through the crowd, accompanied by a tractor-horn version of Darude’s dance classic Sandstorm.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “Thames Valley Police facilitated a peaceful protest off the A509 and liaised with the protesters at the scene.

“Officers from the local policing team engaged with the protesters.

“No arrests were made or necessary.”