Around 140 tractors flood York in inheritance tax protest

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ October Budget included imposing a 20 per cent inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million, which changes the existing 100 per cent relief for farms from the tax.

The tax shake-up sparked widespread protest, including when an estimated 13,000 farmers flocked to Westminster last month.

As previously reported by The Press, farmers planned a protest in York today, which led them through the city’s inner ring road.

Protestors driving down Hull Road (Image: Harry Booth) Starting at 9am today (December 11), some 140 tractors gathered at York Livestock Centre, Murton, before driving down Hull Road, past Clifford’s Tower, and on to York Minster.

At the Minster, protestors spoke to The Press about why they joined the protest.

“We’re second generation farmers, my mum and dad have worked hard their whole life and this will cripple us, we won’t be able to carry on,” said Vicky Scott and Kate Moore, from Driffield.

Vicky Scott and Kate Moore, from Driffield (Image: Harry Booth) Kate said that the tax will be “impossible” to pay, “it’ll destroy us,” she added.

Vicky said: “It’s the final straw really, it just shows a complete lack of respect and understanding for what farmers do and how they operate.”

In response to the protests, which are also taking place in London today, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said: “We have been very clear we are not going to change course on this policy.

The protest finished at York Minster (Image: Harry Booth) “It was necessary to take tough decisions at the Budget and the spending review and those decisions remain.

“But our commitment to farmers is steadfast and our message to farmers is clear, that is why we provided £5 billion to the farming budget over two years including more money than ever for sustainable food production.”

In York, one of the organisers of the protest – Stephen Ridsdale – of Bielby, said: “We’ve tried to break the tractors up as we come in, we don’t want to cause too much disruption but we want to be seen.

Stephen Ridsdale, from Bielby (Image: Harry Booth) “Farmers have been subsidised for years, the reason behind that is so that the price of food is affordable for people. Agriculture is extremely capitally intense, but unfortunately it’s not cash, it’s things we need to run the business.”

The farmers collectively chose to conduct today’s protest in aid of York Foodbank, asking for a £5 donation to the charity from each tractor in attendance.

Stephen added: “We’ve chosen to donate to York Foodbank because that’s what we do, we feed people, the problem with this situation is that some people already can’t afford food. This tax will see prices go up.”

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