'All we've worked for all our lives will go'

Farmers have taken part in a protest in East Yorkshire against the government's planned inheritance tax reforms.

About 85 tractors, along with supporters, gathered in Beverley earlier to oppose the tax changes.

One of those involved, former farm worker David Evans, said small family farms would be "forced to sell up" to pay the tax bill.

A government spokesperson said it was taking a "fair and balanced approach".

In October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced during her Budget speech that inheritance tax at 20% would apply to agricultural assets worth more than £1m from April 2026.

The government has said it wants to make the system fairer and discourage wealthy people from investing in land solely to avoid the tax.

However, Dave Adamson, who has a 300-acre farm and attended the rally with his daughter Sarah, said this meant he would not be able to pass it on to his children.

"We diversified because farming wasn't making any money and by the time we get all our loans paid off, if we get taxed like they say, there is just no way the kids can carry on.

"All we've worked for all our lives is going to go," he said.

John Copsey, who attended the rally with his family, said the measures would "devastate" the industry.

The retired electrician, who worked for many farms and rural businesses during his career, said he feared for the future of family farms and the impact on supporting industries.

"It will just change the countryside – big companies are going to come in," he added.

Charlie Dewhirst, the Conservative MP for Bridlington and the Wolds, said he believed the protests were making an impact.

"They are listening," he said. "Gradually we are seeing a change of mood on the back benches of the government's side, but we've got to keep pushing this."

He said family farms were the "fabric of our rural economy" and the changes would mean they would be broken up.

Anne Handley, the Conservative leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said farmers were "not just fighting for themselves", but "fighting for jobs" and "fighting for food production".

She said farmers did not want to cause trouble and would not use food as a weapon.

"These guys aren't made that way – they are up while we are asleep in all weathers working hard to put food on the table.

"They just want to be heard," she added.

Responding to a post about the rally on X, Elon Musk wrote: "Good for the farmers."

The government said it had committed £5bn to the farming budget over two years, including more money than ever for sustainable food production.

"We are developing a 25-year farming road map, focusing on how to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come," a spokesperson said.

"Our reform... will impact around 500 estates a year. For these estates, inheritance tax will be at half the rate paid by others, with 10 years to pay the liability back interest free.

"This is a fair and balanced approach which fixes the public services we all rely on."

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