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Farmers took part in a protest that saw real tractors being driven by farmers around Parliament Square while their children peddled toy tractors. This highlights the deep cultural expectation of passing the farm down to the next generation. For many, it is a deep responsibility that has been passed down from their forebears and falls on them to manage to do the same – pass it down to their sons and daughters.
Protests and marches at Westminster are an essential megaphone in the never-ending conversation of democracy. As a reporter who has been covering protests for 20 years, it offers an insight into what people think and why they think that way. The gathering of farmers during the protest left three thoughts.
Firstly, the cultural expectation of handing on a farm to the next generation is a powerful factor. It is not merely a business but an identity, belonging, and rootedness that generates considerable anger and emotion.
Secondly, contested notions of fairness are often central to contentious political arguments. The government argues that existing inheritance tax is not fair or sustainable as farmers pay nothing while everyone else is charged 40%. Despite the majority of family farms remaining unaffected, some have described the farmers as seeking to shield their wealth and perpetuate privilege to the exclusion of others.
Thirdly, what does it mean to be rich? Although farmers possess great wealth, they argue that their annual income is often modest. More so, they value their farm emotionally, and the prospect of selling it horrifies them. Therefore, passing it on to the next generation is the goal.
The farmers insist on pressing on with their campaign, while ministers are determined to press on with their plans for change. The protests offer some insight as to why farmers back down from their position is unlikely any time soon. It is up to individuals to decide whether to support the farmers’ argument or the government’s argument
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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