Protests against Rachel Reeves’ proposed inheritance tax on farmland have drawn significant support from rural communities. However, divisions among campaigners—particularly over Brexit and political affiliations—are complicating efforts to overturn the policy. Disagreements over leadership and strategy may weaken the movement, potentially allowing the government to push through its controversial changes.
Farmers divided over inheritance tax battle
Farmers and rural groups have mobilised in large-scale protests against a 20 per cent inheritance tax on farms worth over £1 million, announced in the Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Demonstrators have taken to the streets of Westminster, demanding that the government reverse the policy, which they argue threatens the survival of family-run farms.
While the protests present an image of unity, divisions are emerging among campaign groups over political figures, leadership, and strategy. Disagreements over Nigel Farage’s involvement have exposed a lingering Brexit divide, with some campaigners reluctant to align with the Reform UK leader.
At the same time, there is no single organisation leading the movement, with groups such as Save British Farming, Farmers to Action, and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) each taking different approaches to lobbying for change.
The Brexit divide and Farage’s contested role
Tensions within the movement have become particularly evident over the role of Nigel Farage. According to The Independent, some organisers have resisted Farage’s involvement due to his support for a UK-US trade deal, which critics argue could undermine British agriculture by exposing farmers to competition from cheaper American imports.
Liz Webster, leader of Save British Farming, has been vocal in her opposition to Farage’s participation in the protests. Speaking to The Independent, she stated: “Nigel likes to be seen as part of the farming community, but you can’t have your cake and eat it. If Nigel really did support farming, he wouldn’t be supporting a trade deal with America and Donald Trump.”
Farage, who has actively campaigned against the tax changes, was invited to speak at a separate pre-protest rally in Mill Hill but was not included in the main Westminster demonstration.
A source from the Mill Hill organisers said: “Basically, we have a Brexit divide. The Remainers don’t want to deal with Nigel still, so we have had to have our own event before joining the other one.”
These divisions highlight a wider political rift within farming communities, making it difficult for campaigners to present a united front against the inheritance tax changes.
A fractured leadership and strategic disagreements
Beyond Brexit-related tensions, the lack of a single coordinating body has also weakened the campaign. While the NFU remains the most influential farming organisation, some critics believe it was slow to react to Reeves’ announcement and has not taken a sufficiently hardline stance against the tax.
Unlike previous lobbying efforts led by the NFU, this protest movement has been decentralised, with multiple groups pushing different strategies. The NFU has explored compromise solutions, such as raising the inheritance tax threshold to £20 million, to protect family farms while ensuring the tax primarily affects wealthy landowners.
However, according to The Independent, Farage and his allies argue that any compromise could be gradually eroded, eventually pulling more farmers into the tax system.
One activist told The Independent: “If we compromise, it will be a short-lived victory. It will not take long for the threshold to be reduced and more people to be dragged into the tax.” This divide between pragmatists seeking negotiation and hardliners pushing for full repeal further complicates the movement’s ability to exert pressure on the government.
