Video: Fresh IHT protest sees farmers drive to Oxford

Farmers from across Hampshire and Berkshire are driving their tractors to Oxford today (Friday 11 April) to protest against the Labour government’s plans to impose 20% inheritance tax on the farming industry.

The protest, organised by the group Farmers To Action, is part of the grassroots farmer organisation’s ongoing “Say No to Labour” campaign.

The farm inheritance tax (IHT) policy, set to take effect from April 2026, will apply a 20% tax on agricultural estates exceeding £1m. 

Many farmers ague the move could put their businesses at risk and make it harder for family-run farms to be passed on to future generations.

See also: Farmers To Action to ramp up ‘Say No to Labour’ protests

Farmers say this will create an unfair financial burden at a time when they are already struggling with rising costs and increasing pressures from environmental regulations.

Protesters are calling on Sir Keir Starmer’s government to reconsider the planned tax.

They argue it will force many farming families to sell off land to cover costs, potentially leading to a loss of farming heritage and the destruction of vital rural economies.

The Oxford protest follows a series of tractor rallies held across England on Thursday, 10 April, including in Derbyshire and Hemel Hempstead.

Organised by Farmers To Action, the rallies aim to voice strong opposition to the proposed tax and call for its abolition, urging the Labour government to reconsider its plans.

Today’s protest will see farmers driving their tractors from as far as Hampshire and Berkshire to gather in Oxford, where they will rally outside Oxfordshire County Hall, where local elections will be held on 1 May.

Similar tractor protests are being held in Banbury, Northampton and Salisbury today (Friday 11 April), with further protests planned in Devon and Cornwall on Saturday 12 April.

Farmers To Action has pledged to continue its campaign until the proposed tax is scrapped or significantly altered.

Banbury protest © Farmers To Action

Farmer’s rallying call

Alan Hughes, a fourth-generation tenant farmer from the Shropshire/Herefordshire border at Leintwardine, who owns 26ha of land, says IHT will devastate his family farm.

He urged farmers to get involved to show their opposition to Labour’s IHT plans.

“Get on to the Farmers To Action socials, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X and see where your nearest action is to you and join in,” Mr Hughes said.

“Now is the time to stand up to this Labour government and say ‘enough is enough’ before it’s too late.

“We have to get this sorted by November, otherwise this will start to take effect by April,” he explained.

“This is our last chance, so we need to step up, stand up and push hard against Labour before it’s too late.”