A dairy farmer has assured the public that Christmas dinner supplies are safe – but only if the Chancellor agrees to discuss controversial inheritance tax changes affecting family farms.
Speaking to GB News, Paul Tomkins emphasised that farmers are focused on encouraging dialogue with Labour rather than disrupting daily life.
The comments come as hundreds of tractors are set to descend on Westminster this Wednesday in what organisers have dubbed an “RIP British Farming” protest.
There has also been warnings of food strikes ahead of the festive period.
Paul Tomkins said that it is up to Rachel Reeves to talk to farmers
GB News
Speaking to GB News, Tomkins said: “I can assure you that all that farmers are trying to do is to encourage the Chancellor to come to the table, we are really mindful of the fact that we don’t want to disturb the day to day lives of everyone else, because there are lots of hardworking people around the country as well. So our ambition is just to raise the profile.”
Ben Leo asked: “If you aren’t getting what you want from the government and they’re not listening to you, when will you consider turning the screw and potentially going on strike?
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“When will you start providing supermarkets with food and hitting households with supply problems and issues. Surely one of the biggest statements you can make is scuppering Christmas dinner? I know you say you don’t want to affect everyday Brits, but that would be a hell of a message.”
He responded: “Look, this is evidently turning into a marathon rather than a sprint, so we’re not necessarily focused on the short term, but there is opportunities next week to continue to raise the profile of this family farm tax.
“So there’s going to be a whole series of events happening. Of course, they will be slowly getting bigger and larger.
“The time when this will be resolved is entirely up to the Chancellor. When she comes to the table to discuss this problem that she’s introduced to hard working families across the country, then that will be the time when we no longer see tractors in the streets and they’ll be back in the fields.”
Tractors will descend on Whitehall tomorrow
PA
The vehicles will line up on Whitehall from 10am tomorrow, followed by speeches at noon and a slow drive around central London from 12.45pm.
Tractors will travel to the capital from across the country, including Exmoor, Shropshire, Somerset and the home counties.
The planned demonstration follows last month’s mass protest, which saw 13,000 people gather in Westminster to oppose the Budget’s impact on farming.
That event drew high-profile supporters including composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, TV personality Jeremy Clarkson and politicians Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey and Nigel Farage.
Paul Tomkins said there is no plan to disrupt hard-working Brits
GB News
Rally organisers Kent Fairness for Farmers and Save British Farming described the government’s recent Budget changes as “toxic”.
Farmers have reacted with anger to inheritance tax changes announced in October’s Budget, which limit the existing 100 per cent relief for farms. Under the new rules, agricultural businesses will only receive full tax relief on the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property.
Jeff Gibson, founder of Kent Fairness For Farmers, questioned whether the next generation could be expected to “start their farming careers paying 10 years of tax burden because we died”.
“In most cases we are happy and immensely proud to provide food without any real financial gain, in the hope we can pass our farms, which we’ve worked so hard to protect and care for, to the next generation,” he said.
