Farmers Weekly Podcast Ep 233: Tractor protest brings London to standstill
© Phil Weedon Hundreds of tractors descend on central London as farmers ramp up protests against the government’s autumn Budget.
As 600 tractors park outside Downing Street, we speak to farmers and protest organisers – and scrutinise the latest government announcement.
See more: Video: 600 tractors make a statement against farm tax policy
Farmer and agricultural historian Oli Fletcher, from the Farming Explained YouTube channel, puts the protests in their wider context.
We also analyse claims by Defra that it has injected £350m into farming to boost the UK’s food security.
Other government policies mentioned in this episode include:
- Mirror agreements for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier
- Agreement extensions for Higher Level Stewardship
- Capital grants: Guidance for applicants and agreement holders
Further protests are being planned – including a rally of opposition politicians, farmers, and other business owners at the London Palladium.
Farmers fear they will have to sell up after the government decided to end inheritance tax exemptions for farming families.
We examine the knock-on effects of changes on the wider rural economy – and look at what might happen next.