Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Farmers threaten food supply disruption in protest against Labour tax rise

Farmers threaten food supply disruption in protest against Labour tax rise

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

In a significant escalation in backlash to plans announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, farmers are threatening to target ports and disrupt supermarket supply chains to protest against Labour tax rises, states a recent report, claiming that there are plans to withhold produce and livestock in a bid to trigger food shortages,

The Chancellor placed a 20 per cent inheritance tax on farmers’ assets worth more than £1 million in her first Budget. Previously, tax breaks designed to allow family farms to pass down the generations were exempt from the divisive 40 per cent duty.


According to The Telegraph, some farmers are now openly discussing plans to take a more radical course of action. The discussions are understood to be taking place among farmers who have previously organised tractor “go-slows” on roads as well as protests in February which saw 5,000 farmers gather at the Senedd to voice dissent over environmental targets.

“They will block every port in the UK if they have to,” the report quoted an insider. “[This] could be a possibility to slow down the supply in the supermarket. The Government and supermarkets need to realise the control we have as farmers. The good thing with that is you have farmers everywhere so you can cover all the ports.”

Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), said that his members felt “betrayed” by Labour government.

“I had a meeting with farmers this week and they are absolutely irate,” he said. “If they hadn’t said they weren’t going to do it, there would still be dismay but not the sense of betrayal. Anyone living longer than five years is thinking, will a future government do something different? The leader of the opposition has said they will overturn it.”

The NFU has organised a lobbying event later this month in Parliament where members will hold meetings with their MPs – but the union declined to back a mass demonstration in the capital on the same day, telling its members that unless they have registered for the parliamentary event they should stay away.

There are also reports of plans for a co-ordinated “sewage strike” in a move that risks causing chaos for water-treatment companies and creating a mountain of waste.

Clive Bailye, the founder of the Farming Forum, the UK’s biggest agricultural online forum, said that some farmers were looking at other actions, “from not taking sewage sludge to not letting food leave the farm or sending livestock to market”.

“I can see produce being withheld.”

He said that although they were “very worried about going to prison” he felt his position as founder of the Farming Forum put him in a strong position to help, adding: “We know we need to do something but we are not sure what it will look like yet. But I’ve got thousands of messages from farmers asking me how, when, where.”

A government spokesman said, “With public services crumbling, a £22 billion fiscal hole inherited from the previous government and 40 per cent of Agricultural Property Relief going to the 7 per cent of the wealthiest claimants, we made a difficult decision to ensure the relief is fiscally sustainable.

“Around 500 claims each year will be impacted and farm-owning couples can pass on up to £3 million without paying any inheritance tax – this is a fair and balanced approach.”

More for you

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.

Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jisp unveils new NPD service

Jisp unveils new NPD service

Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.

The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores
File image of Tesco Express

Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores

Tesco is slashing the price of more than 222 own-brand and branded products in its Express convenience stores.

Essentials including milk, bread, pasta and coffee are included in the lines which have been reduced in price by an average of more than 10 per cent at Tesco Express stores. The retail giant has made more than 2,800 price cuts across stores in recent months. With 2,048 of convenience stores at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, Tesco aims to benefit hundreds of thousands of customers from the cheaper deals.

Keep ReadingShow less
vape and cigarette
Photo: iStock

One in five ex-smokers in England now vape, study finds


Summary
1. One in five people who have successfully quit smoking in England currently vape, with an estimated 2.2 million individuals using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
2. The increase in vaping among ex-smokers is largely driven by the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts, with a rise in vaping uptake among people who had previously quit smoking for many years before taking up vaping.
3. While vaping may be a less harmful option compared to smoking, there are concerns about the potential long-term implications of vaping on relapse risk and nicotine addiction. Further research is needed to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation outcomes.


Keep ReadingShow less
Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform

Independent retailers association Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.

The Budget, labelled by Bira as "devastating" for independent retailers, was met with widespread indignation from Bira members.

Keep ReadingShow less