Farmers ‘could block ports and disrupt food supply’ in budget tax change protest

Farmers could blockade ports or cause food shortages by refusing to supply their produce if the government doesn’t listen to calls to rethink inheritance tax changes made in the budget, Sky News has been told.

Tractor go-slows and a strike on spreading sewage sludge on their land are also being considered by some “hardcore groups”, according to Clive Bailye, the founder of The Farming Forum, which he described as the “Mumsnet for farmers”.

Mr Bailye, an arable farmer from Staffordshire, said he does not support such action himself and is “trying to calm the situation” ahead of a rally in London later this month.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the new Labour government’s first budget that an inheritance tax of 50%, at an effective rate of 20%, will be imposed on farms worth over £1m, where previously they were exempt.

It was met with anger from rural communities, with warnings the change could lead to food price rises and would have a “catastrophic” impact on family farms.

But Number 10 has insisted farmers still benefit from a “generous” tax regime following the backlash.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has planned a “mass lobby” event on 19 November for its members to petition MPs to overturn changes in the budget to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

Mr Bailye said he supported the move, which will see 1,800 NFU members lobby parliamentarians, but that it was “very limited”.

He is among the organisers of a splinter event on the same day after the NFU said there were “legal issues” preventing farmers from turning up in large numbers in Westminster.

Organisers are expecting around 10,000 people to march through the capital in a peaceful rally to demonstrate the strength of feeling, which is not aimed at causing disruption to the public.

“We don’t want to upset or cause problems, we just want to feed people,” he said.

“We’re trying to do this the right way first. Who knows what will happen after that?”

Mr Bailye said he is aware of “more hardcore groups” who are demanding more “militant” action similar to that seen in Europe, where farmers have blockaded roads with their tractors in protests about conditions.

“Farmers have the ability to do this with tractors and large machinery all over the country, blocking roads, go-slows with tractors, blocking ports and routes to airports,” he said.

“I can see that ending up with a lot of people getting arrested but you can’t arrest everyone.”

Mr Bailye said it would also be “very easy” to cause problems for the water companies and the government by stopping spreading the millions of tonnes a year of sewage sludge on farmland, causing a build-up of waste.

He said farmers are “divided” over possible plans to refuse to supply their produce to supermarkets or take their livestock to market, adding that most farmers “simply can’t afford it”.

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In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “We are aware that there are a number of events being planned currently in relation to the recent budget announcements affecting farmers.

“The National Farmers’ Union have emphasised that their event at a conference centre in Westminster on 19 November will not be a protest. This is not on advice from the Metropolitan Police, and at no point have we banned anyone from marching on this date.

“We will work with any organisation or individual wishing to organise a peaceful protest or demonstration in London and continue to speak with the NFU.

“We are also aware of a separate rally being planned by a group of farmers in central London on the same date. We are speaking with the organisers to work with them as they plan their event.”