Farm tax rally in London: ​UFU leaders and NI MPs join huge protest to show opposition to 'outrageous' inheritance tax plans

​A string of politicians and the top leadership of the UFU were in London for yesterday’s huge demonstration against the imposition of inheritance tax on UK farmers.

It came after a rally of some 4,000-plus people was held at the Eikon Centre outside Lisburn on Monday night over the same issue.

One of those in Westminster was DUP leader Gavin Robinson, who said: “In Lisburn and in London, we have witnessed the depth of feeling within the farming community on this issue.”

Lagan Valley MP Carla Lockhart added: “The government must not ignore the tens of thousands of people who have voiced their opposition to this inheritance tax grab.”

TUV MP Jim Allister said that the government’s “outrageous raid on family farms” must be resisted “by all means necessary”, while UUP peer Tom Elliott told the News Letter that protestors he had spoken to believed they were not being forceful enough, and instead pointed to “what they do in France and Belgium”.

Meanwhile, UFU president William Irvine, also present at the London rally along with those above, told the News Letter: “Everyone was of the same agenda. They detest this proposed tax. [The mood is] probably quietly determined, that they will not stand for this.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said yesterday he is “very confident” that the “vast majority” of farmers will not be affected by changes to inheritance tax – something hotly disputed by some farming campaigners.

He also insisted that “when you look at all the thresholds available, that means that only farms over the value of £3 million will be affected by the changes” – as opposed to those valued at £1m, as has been commonly cited.

But Nick von Westenholz, director of strategy at the NFU, said the £3m figure is a “best-case scenario” and most people would not qualify for that.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said that the policy was “kicking the legs out from under British food security” and was putting “horrendous pressure on the older generation of farmers”.