Farmer Andrew Ward has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, claiming the Labour leader is “unable to tell the truth” amid escalating tensions over agricultural policy.
Ward expressed his outrage at the Government’s war on farmers to GB News as hundreds gathered in London to protest the looming inheritance tax changes.
“Every time I see Keir Starmer it just grates my gears, because he just clearly cannot tell the truth,” Ward fumed.
He also highlighted the disparity in earnings between agricultural workers and other professions, such as train drivers, who were recently granted a pay rise by Starmer’s Government.
Farmer Andrew Ward has accused the Prime Minister of being ‘unable to tell the truth’ amid his war on farmers
PA / GB News
“A train driver sits on his backside to earn £70,000 a year – most farmers will be absolutely delighted to receive that amount in pay,” he stated.
Discussing the growing fury from the industry towards Labour, Ward warned that farmers across the country are preparing to unite in protest against the tax raid.
“But I think going the next level, we have to do that, and we will join up with the other groups.
“There’s lots of these splinter groups popping up all over the country,” he told GB News.
Tractors lined Whitehall as protests continue over Labour’s inheritance tax raid
REUTERS
“There are people who couldn’t come to London today, there’s a big one in York at the moment today as well, and there’s these dotted around the countryside, and eventually we will join together to do the big one, and that’s where we will have to do it, and we will do if the Government don’t come to us”, he added.
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The farmer insisted there could be some compromise on the policy, stating: “We’re not asking to completely get rid of everything. There is a halfway house that will protect the true family farm.”
“It’s not just farmers, it’s businesses that are affected by this budget as well.”
He accused Starmer of shifting positions, explaining: “When you question them about what they said before the election, it’s oh, well, the goalposts have moved, circumstances have changed, they didn’t realise the country was in such a bad way as it was – it’s absolute rubbish.
“He had no intention of telling the truth. And when you look forward into the future, is he ever going to tell the truth?”
Andrew Ward claimed farmers are not asking for a ‘complete u-turn’ on the inheritance tax changes
GB News
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer dismissed the controversy as “Tory fear-mongering.”
“In relation to inheritance tax, as he knows the threshold is £3million and the vast majority of farmers will be unaffected despite the fear-mongering of the party opposite,” Starmer told MPs.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman also affirmed the Government is “very clear” they are “not going to change course on this policy”.
