Nigel Farage Explodes Over Labour’s ‘Disastrous’ Inheritance Tax Grab – ‘Daylight Robbery

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has strongly criticized Labour’s proposed changes to inheritance tax, which he says will harm farmers and rural communities. He is supporting the Daily Express campaign to protect these communities and will join thousands of farmers in a major protest on Monday.

The protest, called “The Battle for Britain,” has gained support from farmers, business leaders, and politicians who warn that Labour’s policies could damage British agriculture, increase food prices, and destroy rural areas.

Farage has accused Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves of launching a “relentless attack” on rural communities.

In an article written for the Daily Express, he called their plans “a betrayal of our agricultural industry and rural communities.” He believes the changes to inheritance tax will hurt farmers and their families, forcing many to sell their land to pay the tax.

Farmers are already angry about the proposed changes and have been protesting across the country. Farage says this protest is not just about inheritance tax—it’s a “rural revolt” against policies that threaten the livelihoods of people in the countryside.

Farage pointed out that Labour had promised not to raise taxes, secure the UK’s borders, tackle criminal gangs, and grow the economy. However, he claims they have failed on all these promises. He said, “Now, we are all paying the price for Labour’s reckless policies and their disregard for the British public.”

He emphasized that farming is the “backbone of our country,” providing food for the nation and supporting thousands of jobs in rural areas. “It is an industry we cannot afford to lose,” he said. According to Farage, the farming industry employs 470,000 people and contributes over £11 billion to the British economy every year. When you include the wider food and drink supply chain, this figure rises to £120 billion annually.

Farage argues that the attack on farming is not just a problem for rural areas—it’s a national issue. He said, “For Labour, the countryside is an afterthought. They don’t care about it. But for Reform UK, it is a priority.”

On Monday, Farage will join farmers as they drive 100 tractors to Whitehall in London to protest. The tractors will gather at Belmont Farm in North London before heading to the heart of the government. The protesters are calling on MPs to cancel the planned inheritance tax increases, which they say could force families to sell their farms to pay the tax bills.

At the center of the protest is the government’s plan to change the rules on inheritance tax relief for farmland. Currently, farms can be passed down through generations without being taxed, thanks to a policy called Agricultural Property Relief (APR). This has helped keep UK food production alive since 1992. However, starting in April 2026, there will be a £1 million cap on tax-free inheritance. Anything above this amount will be taxed at 20%, which is lower than the usual 40% rate but still a significant burden for many farmers.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed claims the new rules will raise £200 million a year for public services and says only 500 estates will be affected each year. However, farmers argue this is misleading.

They say the new rules combine APR with another relief called Business Property Relief (BPR), which covers machinery and other assets. With some farm equipment costing up to £500,000, the £1 million threshold will be used up quickly, leaving many farms vulnerable to the tax.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) says 66% of UK farms are worth more than £1 million, meaning far more farmers will be affected than Labour claims. NFU president Tom Bradshaw warns that the changes will protect wealthy landowners who own small amounts of land while hurting real farmers who produce the country’s food.

The proposed tax changes have even angered some of Labour’s own rural MPs, many of whom were elected by narrow margins and could face backlash from voters. Labour peer Ann Mallalieu says many rural voters already regret supporting the party.