Angry Farmers Block UK’s Busiest Ports To Protest Against New Budget

Farmers across the UK are angry and taking their frustrations to the streets and the ports. On the night of November 27, a group of farmers staged a protest by blocking the Holyhead Port in Wales, using their tractors to shut down the main exit road.

The farmers were opposing the UK government’s proposed inheritance tax plans, which they say will force them to sell their land to pay the tax.

The protest, which began around 10 p.m., caused major disruption. Lorries were blocked from leaving the port, and the roads were chaotic as farmers rallied with signs reading “No Farmers, No Food, No Future.”

Though the protest was peaceful, lasting till 4 a.m. the next morning, it had a huge impact. Foot traffic and private cars were able to move through a separate gate, but trucks were stuck at the port.

BREAKING: Farmers at Holyhead Port have used their tractors to BLOCK heavy goods vehicles from accessing the port causing MAJOR disruption.

DO you stand with our farmers? pic.twitter.com/LcrdadJSyA

— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) November 27, 2024

Video Credits: Darren Grimes/X

Farmers are frustrated because the government’s proposed inheritance tax changes directly attack their way of living.

Starting in 2026, the government plans to impose a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural land worth more than £1 million, which farmers say will force many to sell their properties to pay the tax.

While the government has tried to downplay the impact, claiming that only a small number of farmers will be affected, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and other farming groups argue that the changes could harm many people.

Farmers believe these changes, combined with other policy pressures like the Welsh government’s new sustainable farming scheme, are pushing them to the brink.

Gareth Wyn Jones, a Welsh farmer, expressed his frustration on social media, saying that farmers had little choice but to protest. “Farmers are the last people to go out and protest. We’re always busy taking care of our land, animals, and crops,” he said. “But when we’re constantly pushed down with more taxes and regulations, it becomes impossible to keep going. We have to speak out.”

They’ve arrived pic.twitter.com/MVc6stnVqe

— Gareth Wyn Jones (@1GarethWynJones) November 27, 2024

Video Credits: Gareth Wyn Jones/X

Farmers have also organised a slow-moving tractor protest in Dover, further disrupting one of the UK’s busiest ports.

The message is loud and clear: they want the government to stop undermining British farming and rural communities with policies that threaten their survival.

The protest is not just about taxes but about the future of farming in the UK. Farmers say they are fighting to protect their livelihoods, their land, and their communities from what they see as an unfair and damaging government agenda.

French farmers have also staged their own protests over EU trade deals. British and French farmers are concerned about the policies they believe will harm their industries.

The protests are far from over. The farmers who gathered in London earlier this week, nearly 10,000 of them, have made it clear that they won’t stop until their demands are met.

Agricultural Property Relief (APR) helps farmers avoid inheritance tax (IHT) on the agricultural value of land and certain farm buildings. The land must have been occupied by the deceased for at least two years to get full relief.

If rented out, the relief still applies if the land was owned for seven years. There is no current limit on the relief amount.

Starting from April 2026, APR will be capped at 100% relief for land valued up to £1 million. Anything above that will only get 50% relief. Agricultural land managed under environmental agreements will also qualify for APR from April 2025.

No Farmers, No Food.
Truro, Cornwall – tractor convoy protest against the government’s inheritance tax on family farms. pic.twitter.com/5JIbFU7CqE

— No Farmers, No Food (@NoFarmsNoFoods) November 27, 2024

Video Credits: No Farmers, No Food/X

APR was introduced to prevent farms from being sold off to pay IHT, helping keep family farms running and supporting UK food production. The National Farmers Union (NFU) says passing farms from one generation to the next is essential.

Critics say that APR benefits wealthy individuals with no connection to farming, like high-profile landowners, using the relief to avoid taxes.

A report found that most APR benefits go to large estates, with many not even actively farming. There are concerns that APR will increase land prices, making it harder for smaller farmers and young people to enter the industry.

References: Daily Mail, Chartered Institute of Taxation

Source: Maritime Shipping News