Farmers protest tax changes with tractor convoys

More than 70 tractors drove in convoy around Gloucestershire earlier to protest against inheritance tax changes.

In October, the government announced it would charge a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural assets worth more than £1m for the first time, although the threshold for some farmers to pay will be £3m.

The change has sparked fierce opposition from farmers, who say it will "ruin" farms and push food prices up.

The prime minister has defended the plans and said most farms would not be affected.

Protests in Tewkesbury, Stroud and Gloucester were just some of those held in England, including in Westminster, to tie in with a parliamentary debate on tax exemptions for working farms.

From April 2026, agricultural assets worth more than £1m will be subject to a 20% inheritance tax - half the usual rate.

The government says no tax would be payable on the first £325,000 above the limit, bringing the untaxed total to £1.325m.

Farmers would be able to take advantage of general exemptions to pass assets to their spouse tax-free, or leave a main residence to children or grandchildren. That could bring the total untaxed amount for a farming couple up to £3m.

In Gloucester, farmers gave speeches before driving in a slow procession around the city and up to Cheltenham.

Grange Farm's Alan Hocke said the inheritance tax threshold change would "definitely" make running a farm less viable.

"We're working on a very, very tight margin now," Mr Hocken added.

"We're doing it because we've got a passion for the job and to feed the country.

"[The government] needs to wake up and understand the pressures we're under. The inheritance tax is going to ruin us, it's as simple as that.

"They really need to look at it and come back with either a different option or scrap it, ideally completely, for all of us."

Stroud MP Simon Opher said Labour felt the changes were "necessary" to fund services such as the NHS.

Explaining Labour's stance, Dr Opher said: "In normal circumstances, farmers will get £3m free of inheritance tax and after that, they pay half of the normal rate that most people pay on over £1m.

"I realise it's tough because it's new but we feel this is necessary because we need to fund our services, like the NHS."

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