London police have issued a warning to farmers planning to join the “Pancake Day Rally” against controversial inheritance tax reforms proposed by Labour, advising them against driving tractors into the city center.
The rally, set to commence at Whitehall around midday and conclude by 3 pm near Parliament, anticipates hundreds of attendees.
The focus of the protest is Labour’s plan to impose a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural lands and businesses valued over £1 million, effectively eliminating an existing exemption that allowed family farms to be passed down without taxation.
Farmers argue this change could lead to forced land sales, hinder investments, and impact families without clear succession plans.
To manage the crowd and minimize disruption, police are restricting the number of tractors allowed into the area following significant traffic delays during last month’s demonstration. Farmers attempting to bring tractors into central London in violation of these restrictions risk arrest.
In a lighter vein, some farmers have been seen distributing pancakes from atop a combine harvester to protesters, cooking them on the spot and tossing them to the crowd, all set to the backdrop of disco tunes.
This unique form of protest highlights the community’s creative engagement while voicing their grievances against the proposed tax changes.
