Jeremy Clarkson has slammed the Budget as "hopeless," saying it leaves farmers feeling "shafted."
The former Top Gear host, who has become a voice for farmers through his hit Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm, hit out over Chancellor Rachel Reeves' decision to extend inheritance tax to family farms.
She announced agricultural property relief was being abolished, claiming it was increasingly being used by the very wealthy to protect their assets from tax.
But critics said it could lead to the “death of the family farm” and the National Farmers Union said it could damage food production.
Clarkson weighed in, writing on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Rachel Reeves. I literally daren’t comment.”
He added: “We have a new government. It’s turning out to be hopeless.”
Clarkson went on urging his followers to not “despair” and hope for change in the next General Election, writing: “Farmers. I know that you have been shafted today. But please don’t despair.
“Just look after yourselves for five short years and this shower will be gone.”
Since the series launched in 2021, Clarkson has become a "hero" to many in the rural community, shedding light on the highs and lows of running his Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds.
The show captures the harsh realities of farming life, from financial instability to challenging British weather, and shares some heartbreaking moments with his animals, making Clarkson an unexpected but vocal supporter of the industry.
Rachel Reeves. I literally daren’t comment.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) October 30, 2024
Farmers. I know that you have been shafted today. But please don’t despair. Just look after yourselves for five short years and this shower will be gone.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) October 30, 2024
Earlier this year, Clarkson acknowledged that farming has become increasingly "risky" as he examined its financial challenges.
After running a competition with co-star Kaleb Cooper to see if they could make money from parts of the farm that aren’t traditionally farmed, Clarkson explained: “What we really did it for was to highlight the enormous cost that farmers face just to try and get food out of the ground.
“So, ordinarily, you’d probably spend on the farm like this £40,000 in seed, fertiliser, slug pellets, and all of the diesel, and various things you need to grow food. Well, last year here it was £108,000 we had to spend.”
The former Top Gear host shared: “It’s a bit like if you go to a casino and it’s a £2 minimum bet, you can have fun with your mates. You know, you have two quid here, two quid on the roulette table.
“What if they make it a £500 minimum bet? You’re not going to do it. It’s too risky.”
He continued: “And the farm is getting to that point where it’s too risky. You just sit there. If I invest £108,000 and then the weather’s bad, I’ve lost a lot, you know?
“So, that’s really why we did it and I hope it worked well. I hope farmers enjoy it anyway.”
Agricultural property relief and business property relief have allowed farm businesses to be passed to the next generation without incurring inheritance tax charges, which they would be unable to pay without selling up
National Farmers Union president Tom Bradshaw said: “Every penny the chancellor saves from this will come directly from the next generation having to break up their family farm.”
