Farmers’ rescheduled tractor rally over tax plans to go ahead at John O’Groats
A protest by farmers against the UK government’s controversial changes to inheritance tax will go ahead at John O’Groats on Sunday after being postponed last weekend.
The Caithness event is part of a day of action across Scotland and it has been estimated that between 40 and 50 tractors could assemble at noon in the Groats car park.
Rallies had originally been planned by NFU Scotland for Saturday, January 25. However, the union postponed these at a late stage so that farmers in some parts of the country could focus on clear-up operations following Storm Éowyn.
Events will take place across Scotland this weekend instead, including the one at John O’Groats on Sunday, to highlight how the proposed inheritance tax changes threaten the viability of family farms.
NFU Scotland says it is also “an opportunity for farmers and crofters to say thank-you to the public for their ongoing support and engage with MPs and local politicians”.
Union president Martin Kennedy said: “Scotland’s farmers and crofters have once again demonstrated their key, but often unnoticed, role in rural communities by helping with the clear-up operations following the devastating storm last Friday. Our decision to postpone events was welcomed and commended by emergency services.
“These events, however, were planned as part of a UK-wide day of action to send yet another loud and clear message to Westminster that proposed inheritance tax changes would have a devastating impact on prime producers, threatening our family farms and national food security.
“It was great to see so many well-supported events taking place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as planned and this weekend Scotland’s farmers, crofters and supporters will have that opportunity too.
“Events across Scotland are now being scheduled to take place on either Saturday or Sunday [February 1/2]. I encourage all NFU Scotland members, along with others involved with the farming sector, to take part and raise awareness of how these taxation proposals would impact their businesses.
“Full details of where and when events will be happening will be posted on our website once we have finalised and approved our plans with Police Scotland and other parties to ensure minimal disruption to the public.”
Mr Kennedy and the union’s director of policy Jonnie Hall were in London on Wednesday for meetings with MPs about inheritance tax.
“The tractor rallies are just part of our wider, ongoing fight, alongside the other UK farming unions, to get these taxation proposals reviewed by the UK government,” Mr Kennedy said.
The events have been prompted by Labour’s 20 per cent inheritance tax raid on farmland and property worth more than £1 million.
UK environment secretary Steve Reed has insisted the “vast majority of farmers will pay no more” and blamed the changes on the “£22 billion black hole” left by the previous Conservative government.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the measures would not affect three-quarters of farms and would only impact large landowners – but farming unions have disputed this, calling the plans “deeply flawed”.