With banners, bullhorns and toy tractors, thousands of British farmers descended on Parliament on Tuesday to protest a tax hike they say will deal a “hammer blow” to struggling family farms. U.K. farmers are rarely as militant as their European neighbors,

The number of farms that could be affected by the inheritance tax change is disputed. The government says it will only affect the wealthiest 500 estates each year but the NFU and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) have estimated up to 70,000 farms could be affected.

Farms worth more than about $1.3 million will face an estate tax from 2026, ending a previous exemption and prompting anger in some rural communities.

Thousands of farmers protested at Britain's parliament and some drove tractors through central London on Tuesday to demand the scrapping of an inheritance tax that they say will destroy family farms and threaten food production.

Under the government's proposals from April 2026 inheritance tax at 20%, half the usual rate of 40%, would apply on farm assets worth more than £1m. The Treasury said it would apply to around 500 farms a year. However, the National Farmers Union (NFU) has claimed up to 70,000 farms could be affected.

British farmers are descending on Parliament to protest a hike in inheritance tax that they say will deal a “hammer blow” to struggling family farms

Thousands of farmers have taken to the streets of London in a bid to overturn the UK government’s recent changes to inheritance tax rules that they say will kill off the family farm and threaten food security.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer insists the "vast majority" of farms will be unaffected.

It’s not just farms — taxing family firms in the throes of succession is a bad idea.