Nigel Farage received a hero’s welcome at the farmers’ protest in London on Tuesday (19/11), despite being the driving force behind a political move that decimated the industry.
The Reform UK MP, previously of UKIP and the Brexit Party, was among a number of high-profile figures to don Barbour jackets, flat caps and spotless wellies as part of a march on Whitehall over planned inheritance tax rises.
From April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1 million, which were previously exempt, will be liable to the tax at 20 per cent – half the usual inheritance tax rate.
Other allowances could mean a couple who are married or in a civil partnership could pass on a farm worth as much as ÂŁ3 million.
Farage received a warm welcome at the event with cries of “sort them out, Nigel” heard from those protesting.
But the political campaign to take Britain out of the European Union that he helped orchestrate has decimated the agricultural industry, with farmers bearing the brunt of the consequences.
Analysis published in Farmers Weekly in June 2023 revealed that increased red tape, a worsening economic situation, damaging free-trade deals and a trail of broken promises have all wreaked havoc on the sector.
Asked whether they believed Brexit had had a positive or negative effect on the UK economy, the overriding sentiment from those in the industry was negative, with about three-quarters of all respondents feeling that way.
And asked about the state of their own businesses due to Brexit, a similar picture emerged, with 69 per cent saying it had been either “fairly negative” or “very negative”.
Looking at how this has panned out between different sectors of farming, it is clear that the old adage “up corn, down horn” does not apply – both arable farmers and livestock farmers seem equally disappointed.
According to the survey, some 70 per cent of the farmers who grow cereals said Brexit had been negative for their businesses, while 76 per cent of oilseed rape growers felt that way.
Similarly, 68 per cent of farmers with beef cattle, dairy cows or sheep had a negative perception.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the two sectors that were even more negative were those growing vegetables (81 per cent) and those keeping pigs (79 per cent).
Both have been especially hard hit by the reduced availability of pickers and slaughterhouse workers, who used to comprise a significant part of the workforce before Brexit limited their ability to work in the UK.
Related: Clarkson fumes as he’s reminded of why he bought his farm