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19
Nov 2024
Bleary-eyed local farmers head to London for inheritance tax protest
A coach load of local farmers is on its way to London this morning to join today’s protest about changes to inheritance tax.
About 55 farmers from the Knaresborough and Boroughbridge area set off from Allerton Park at 5.30am.
Some had been up all night on alert to help clear the roads if the forecasted snow had arrived.
They will join thousands of other land workers and supporters at 11am for a peaceful rally though the streets of central London.
Many fear the changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last month's Budget will compound existing financial problems for farmers and lead to the demise of family farms.
Pic: C.L Tesseyman & Son
Richard Tesseyman, whose family C L Tesseyman & Son are fourth generation tenant farmers at Staveley, said the changes would also have a significant impact on the wider rural economy.
Mr Tesseyman, whose family are agricultural contractors besides running the 300-acre mainly arable farm, told the Stray Ferret on the journey down:
There is real strength of feeling about this, which is why thousands of us are going. Some people think we are going to blockade London but that’s not the case. It’s a peaceful demonstration.
This is stage one — see if we get listened to. Farners don’t want to upset the public. They are our customers. But we are getting backed into a corner.
We are already struggling and trying to compete with imported food that doesn’t have to meet the standards we have to meet. There’s boat loads of wheat and barley coming in. This has galvanised everyone and could have a massive knock-on effect to the rural economy in North Yorkshire.
A smaller protest by farmers is also due to take place in Thirsk today.
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