Hundreds of tractors to rumble into London for farmer rally

More than 300 tractors will converge on Westminster this week as farmers from across the UK intensify their protests against government policies perceived as hostile to British agriculture.

Tractors will arrive in central London from Exmoor and counties including Somerset, Shropshire, Kent, and Lincolnshire on Wednesday 11 December for a demonstration organised by Save British Farming (SBF) and Kent Fairness for Farmers.

Simultaneously, Welsh farmers will rally at the Senedd in Cardiff, amplifying the call for a nationwide rethink on agricultural policies.

See also: Farmers Weekly Podcast Ep 231: London ‘farm tax’ protest special

In London, tractors will begin assembling on Whitehall at 10am, with speeches starting at noon. Speakers include North Wales hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, Berkshire farmer Colin Rayner, and NI Farmers for Action coordinator William Taylor.

‘Send message to PM’

The rally will coincide with prime minister’s questions (PMQs) in parliament, where protesters aim to send a direct message to Sir Keir Starmer and his government.

Liz Webster, SBF founder, stressed the symbolic power of tractors lined up opposite Downing Street during PMQs. “Sir Keir is pulling the rug from under farmers’ feet, aiming to dismantle British farming as we know it. But farmers are resilient and united in this fight,” she said.

Protesters are demanding the government abandon plans for a UK-US free trade deal, secure an EU veterinary agreement to ease trade barriers, and halt new farm inheritance taxes, the fast-track withdrawal of Basic Payments, and carbon taxes on fertiliser.

Organisers say the farm inheritance tax, set to be introduced in April 2026, is a particular flashpoint. “It’s the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Mrs Webster added.

The tractor rally will feature a Christmas-themed procession through Westminster, with police closing off routes to ensure safety. Tractors will parade through Old Palace Yard and Millbank before circling Parliament Square.

Colin Rayner has opened his Berkshire farm to accommodate farmers travelling to the event. Media outlets, including Sky News and GB News, are set to cover the protest.

The event is expected to surpass SBF’s previous tractor rally, which brought more than 100 tractors to London.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw, while noting the union is not directly involved, expressed support for the farmers’ cause.

“These events reflect the strong feelings across the agricultural community. We hope they are well attended and farmers’ voices are heard,” he said.

Mass rally

Last month, about 13,000 farmers and supporters gathered in London for a mass rally and a simultaneous NFU-organised lobbying effort to urge MPs to oppose proposed farm IHT changes and other policies they view as detrimental to British agriculture.

The protest, sparked by measures announced in the October Budget, reflected widespread frustration across the farming community over what they see as an increasing burden of “anti-farming” policies.