Farmers told to register in advance for London mass rally
© Tim Scrivener Farmers are being urged to register in advance for next week’s independent farmers’ rally in London, which is set to take place on Tuesday 19 November.
The organisers are asking people who plan to attend to register online first so they can work with the Metropolitan Police on managing numbers and also communicate maps and itineraries.
Thousands of farmers are expected to descend on the capital to participate in the event.
The day has been chosen to complement a mass lobbying of MPs by 1,800 NFU members over at Church House, Westminster.
See also: Summary: Farmer demos and petitions against Budget measures
The independent farmers’ event is being organised by a group of farmers, including Olly Harrison, Clive Bailye, Martin Williams, Andrew Ward and James Mills.
The NFU says it supports members and farmers if they wish to attend this rally, but that it is not responsible for organising it.
The main goal of both events is to urge chancellor Rachel Reeves to reverse the government’s decision in the Autumn Budget to introduce a tax of 20% on inherited farming assets above £1m.
Download Farmers Weekly’s Budget protest poster
Last week’s print issue of Farmers Weekly (8 November) carries a Budget protest poster on the back cover calling on the UK government to rethink the damaging changes to tax policy announced last week by chancellor Rachel Reeves.
You can download and print our poster (PDF) and to help make your voice heard at farmer-led rallies.
The NFU has warned the measure could signal the “death of the family farm” and, by extension, pose a serious threat to the UK’s food supply.
Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson is set to join fellow farmers at the mass rally, which starts at Richmond Terrace on Whitehall, London (what3words: fresh.butter.grapes), opposite Downing Street, at 11am.
Speakers from across agriculture, TV and politics will show their support for family farms and wider businesses.
Following speeches, a procession will take place to Parliament Square.
The procession will be led by a number of children on pedal tractors, signifying the impact of the “devastating” Budget on the future of farming and the countryside.
The procession will then return to Richmond Terrace for the final address by NFU president Tom Bradshaw.
‘Leave tractors at home’
Organisers of the mass rally are urging farmers to leave their tractors at home because space is limited.
They are inviting people to bring items of British food to donate to food banks to remind the government of farmers’ essential role as food producers.
“The food bank idea is to remind the government that farmers are food producers who often have to give their produce away below the cost of production due to world markets,” said organiser Olly Harrison.
Meanwhile, farmers in Herefordshire are planning a “Back British Farming Rally” in Ledbury from 11am on 19 November.