Several farmers were arrested in central London on Wednesday after driving tractors into the capital for a Budget day protest, defying police restrictions. The Metropolitan Police had warned that anyone breaching conditions by bringing vehicles to the protest would be asked to leave and could face arrest under the Public Order Act.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage condemned the arrests as “outrageous” and pledged that his party would provide full legal support to every farmer protesting peacefully. The police confirmed that while most protesters complied with conditions, several arrests were made.
More than a dozen tractors were parked outside Parliament, causing rush-hour traffic disruption. Farmers sounded their horns as police watched. David Gunn, an arable farmer from Kent, said he was protesting against the government’s plan to introduce inheritance tax on farm businesses worth over £1 million, calling it “crippling” for small family farms.
Another protester, 18-year-old Tyler Carter from Peterborough, held a sign reading “Dear London sorry … I’m here to fight for my future!” and said he was fighting for his livelihood. One farmer dressed as Father Christmas carried a sign listing politicians including Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves on a “naughty list”.
The protest comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces pressure to scrap the inheritance tax plans, which have become a flashpoint for a sector already struggling with rising costs and climate impacts. Similar demonstrations took place last December.
