Farmers brought rush hour traffic to a standstill in Westminster on Wednesday, defying a police ban on agricultural vehicles to protest against the UK Government’s Autumn Budget and its proposed inheritance tax reforms.
Dozens of tractors entered central London from early morning, with signs reading “Starmer farmer harmer” and “rural communities betrayed by Labour.” The protest, organised under the banner Farmers to London: Budget Day, saw vehicles converge on Parliament Square and Whitehall as Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her statement in the Commons.
(Image: Gareth Wyn Jones)
(Image: Gareth Wyn Jones)
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that several arrests were made after protesters breached conditions banning tractors from entering the area. At least 20 vehicles were stopped in Richmond and Westminster, but many reached the heart of government, where demonstrators called for the proposed “family farm tax” to be scrapped.
Journalist Toby Young described the protest as a “furious” response to Budget plans that would “force many to sell up.”
(Image: FUW)
FUW: “Step in the right direction, but not enough”
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) said the Budget offered only a partial concession to Welsh family farms, with damaging inheritance tax reforms still set to come into force next April.
FUW President Ian Rickman welcomed the Chancellor’s decision to make the proposed relief for the first £1 million of agricultural and business assets transferable between spouses — a measure the Union had repeatedly called for.
“This is a step in the right direction, and one that will help ease the challenges of succession planning for many farming families,” said Rickman.
“It is also encouraging to note that the lifetime gifting rules remain unchanged — a mechanism the Union had urged the Treasury to preserve.”
However, Rickman warned that the wider reforms still represent an existential threat to Welsh family farms, risking unaffordable tax bills for those seeking to inherit and continue the family business.
“The Chancellor’s decision to press ahead with the government’s broader proposals for inheritance tax reform remains deeply disappointing, if unsurprising. These changes still risk causing lasting damage to rural communities.”
The FUW said it would continue lobbying MPs across all parties to support amendments to the Budget that would “ensure family farms can be passed on with confidence to the next generation.”
Gareth Wyn Jones: “We will not be silenced”
Welsh hill farmer and broadcaster Gareth Wyn Jones joined the protest in Westminster, sharing footage from Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square on social media.
In one video, he said:
“We’re here to stand up for our communities, our families, and our future. This Budget is a betrayal of everything rural Wales stands for.”
Jones also posted images of tractors lined up outside HM Treasury and called on MPs to “listen to the countryside before it’s too late.”
“We will not be silenced. Family farms are the backbone of Wales — and we’re not going anywhere.”
His posts were widely shared across farming networks and drew support from rural campaigners across the UK.
For full coverage of the Autumn Budget 2025 and its impact on Wales, read our explainer here.
