Over 1,000 farmers gathered outside of the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, November 28 to protest the newly introduced 20 per cent inheritance tax and recent budget changes.
Opposition sentiment echoed loudly throughout the rally, with slogans like “No farmers, no food” resonating from a similar protest held in Westminster on November 19.
Bruce, a Berwickshire farmer at the rally, emphasised the unity of the demonstration, stating, “We’re here today to show unity”.
“We don’t want to disrupt the public. We just want the government to understand: food is just as essential as solar panels.”
The general mood was one of mounting frustration, as farmers felt their concerns had been repeatedly ignored.
In a symbolic move to ensure their message was noticed this time, a single tractor was parked against the parliament building.
There is a clear sense of distrust from farmers towards the Scottish Government and its approach to addressing the challenges they face.
During a rally, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon was one of five speakers who addressed the crowd. She used her time to try and rebuild trust, saying, “we need to listen to you”.
Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie looked to further this message whilst discussing the impact of the new UK budgets. Fairlie described the Inheritence Tax as “a hammer blow” and warned “it will be catastrophic if it’s allowed to continue.”
“We’re working incredibly hard to make sure that the UK government can hear that loud and clear.”
Both Gougeon and Farlie were met with enthusiasm and applause from attendees. Some were still skeptical of the government’s insistence on these issues.
Alistair, an Aberdeenshire farmer, shared his fears about his son’s future in agriculture, saying, “the new tax wasn’t something we expected”.
“Planning around it will take generations. To survive, we’d have to sell most of our business, leaving my son with nothing to work with.”
Ed, a farmer from the Borders, criticised the increase in produce imports: “most imported food is low-quality, and its environmentally damaging.
“People want to eat locally and know where their food comes from.”
These voices reflect a growing frustration and concern within the farming community as they face mounting economic and regulatory pressures.
“Save British Farmers Demonstration Parliament Square” by barry.marsh1944 is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.