Tractors drive towards London on the A243 as farmers are expected to stage protests in Westminster over agricultural inheritance tax changes.
Follow MailOnline'sAn irate Jeremy Clarkson today went to war with his former employer over their coverage of the farmers' protest during a fiery interview where he angrily declared: 'Classic BBC . You people'.
Mr Clarkson's argument began when Ms Derbyshire had questioned whether he was there for himself rather than British farmers, asking him: 'So it's not about you, your farm and to avoid inheritance attack?'. Clarkson, who worked for the BBC as Top Gear host for more than 20 years, then burst out laughing when Derbyshire told him: 'I am not expressing opinions I am literally asking you questions'.Clarkson was angry with Ms Derbyshire's claims - and also laughed she said: 'I am not expressing opinions I am literally asking you questions'
'People like me will simply put it in a trust, and so long as I live for seven years that's fine. As my daughter says, you might be in a deep freeze at the end of it, but you will live for seven years. 'When asked if he'd had a GP appointment recently, he said: 'Yes, I just recently had a heart attack.'
During a 2021 interview Mr Clarkson said that avoiding inheritance tax was “the critical thing” in his decision to buy land. The 64-year-old is defying the advice of his doctors to 'avoid stress' as he recovers from a life-saving heart operation - while his Clarkson's Farm co-stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland are also in attendance.
In a second interview, Clarkson said Rachel Reeves has used a 'blunderbuss' to hit the agricultural sector.The Clarkson's Farm host waving at fans as he holds a sign reading 'With our farmers'Vast crowds gathering in Whitehall to express their opposition to Labour's policy He said he opposed the tax changes, adding: 'If she'd have wanted to take out the likes of James Dyson and investment bankers and so on, she would have used a sniper's rifle, but she's used a blunderbuss and she's hit all this lot.
In an emotional speech, National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw accused ministers of a 'stab in the back'. Speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Bradshaw was quizzed about the apparent impasse between ministers who are defending the policy and farmers, who say it must be rethought. Mr Bradshaw said the latest analysis by the NFU suggested 75% of commercial farms, over 50 acres, would be affected by the changes.
'That's the biggest budget of that kind in our country's history and it shows that we're backing farmers,' he said, and outlined other measures to support farmers on issues such as flooding and trade. Speaking before Mr Bradshaw's address, a fourth-generation family farmer said there is a possibility he and other farmers will strike if changes to agricultural property relief are not reversed.
Mr Spours said: 'We are about £60,000 worse off next year from payments that have been slashed by the Government. Earlier, in a radio interview, Mr Bradshaw accused Environment Secretary Steve Reed of treating the farming industry with 'contempt'. 'We don't know what's next, but I know the membership have never been so united in trying to overturn something in the time that I've been farming.'
'So, it means that they are including someone who's bought a paddock for their pony - you know, they're not farming, they don't rely on it, they are, if you like, a hobby farmer. They're saying that that is the same as some of these farmers who are here today with hundreds of acres of working farm.' Shadow chancellor Mel Stride, who was also in attendance, said the Government had 'broken its promise' in imposing inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.
'But if you take a typical case of a couple wanting to pass a family farm down to one of their children, which would be a very typical example, with all of the thresholds in place, that's £3 million before any inheritance tax is paid.' Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Victoria Atkins speaks to Conservative MPs and farmers as they protest outside the Houses of ParliamentDozens of tractors gathered on Whitehall todayToday's protest is the biggest yet against the new Labour government
He added: 'If farmers tip away their own milk, they're the ones who lost out the most - but if they feel they're going to go out of business then they may go ahead anyway. Downing Street has refused to be drawn on Elon Musk's comments on X that Britain is 'going full Stalin' in its approach to farmers
News BBC London Jeremy Clarkson Victoria Derbyshire Elon Musk Rachel Reeves Labour
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