The Prime Minister was hoping to visit a housing development near Milton Keynes to promote his latest announcement of 100 new towns to alleviate the housing crisis.
However dozens of furious farmers and their tractors were lying in wait to protest the government’s decision to levy income tax on their estates after death.
Videos from the Farmers to Action group showed numerous tractors “greeting Keir Starmer as he arrives for the opening of a new housing development”, demanding that Rachel Reeves abolish inheritance tax for all farmers.
It is now reported that the Prime Minister has abandoned the planned visit due to the protest, and called off media interviews.
Sir Keir Starmer’s visit was cut short by the protest (Image: PA)
ITV recorded Sir Keir telling builders: “It must be really incredible to be part of building not just houses but building a community.”
The clip then cuts to Keir Starmer driving off, while a farmer shouts at his car: “If you’re in there just talk to us!”
It comes just days after the latest furious protest in Whitehall, in which hundreds of tractors blockaded Westminster demanding a u-turn by the Chancellor.
This week a senior farming minister also sparked fury when he claimed farming is not high up on the government’s list of priorities.
Yesterday Sir Keir was condemned at PMQs for Daniel Zeichner’s comments.
Tory MP Harriet Cross said: “Yesterday the farming minister told a conference of farmers that farming is ‘not high in the pecking order for this government’.”
“Given the heartless family farms tax, is his minister correct? Yes or no.”
Farmers turned up to disrupt the PM’s visit (Image: Getty)
A humiliated Prime Minister was forced to slap down his minister for the comments, insisting: “Farming’s top of the agenda as far as I’m concerned”.
His reply sparked merciless laughter from the opposition benches.
Sir Keir continued: “That’s why we’ve put £5 million to support farmers in the Budget, they failed to spend £300 million on their watch on farming, and we’ve set out our roadmap which has been welcomed by the NFU as she very well knows.”
Responding to the PM’s comments in parliament, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, of the Countryside Alliance, told the Express: “The news that farming is top of the Government’s agenda comes as somewhat as a welcome surprise”.
“I’m not sure the Chancellor has got the memo though, as she’s still refusing to engage with farmers over the disastrous family farm tax.
“Until that happens, it’s difficult to see how the Government’s rural and farming agenda won’t be overshadowed by the fall out from the Budget”.
