Police have imposed a tractor ban on farmers planning a mass protest over the Chancellor's inheritance tax raid.

Up to 20,000 demonstrators have been warned they face arrest if they use vehicles to block roads in central London next Tuesday.

Farming Forum founder Clive Bailye said: "We've been asked by the police not to bring tractors into London in what is effectively a tractor ban.

"But we're not planning to do that. This is not about causing disruption. We don't want trouble or blockades, especially given the family nature of the event.

"If Tuesday doesn't work, the Government has picked a fight with the wrong people. If it comes to it, farmers can shut down every road and we don't want to do that."

Ahead of the demonstration, a Met Police spokesman said they are "equipped with legislation to prevent obstruction and breaches of the peace in the eventuality of such tactics being used by protesters".

The mass action is in response to last month's Budget where Labour announced the 100% relief for family farms would be limited to only the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property.

For anything above that, landowners will pay a 20% tax rate, rather than the standard 40% rate of inheritance tax (IHT) applied to other land and property.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed was today forced to defend the Government's "crystal clear" figures on the number of farmers impacted by rises in inheritance tax.

He remained adamant that "three quarters of farmers will pay nothing" because of changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as he faced questions from the Conservatives about whether the figures had been "checked before the Budget".

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has disputed the Government's claims about the number of farms that will be impacted, warning that plans to roll together allowances for both IHT relief and business property relief could leave far more agricultural businesses exposed to the tax.

Recalling how he felt when the announcements were made, sheep farmer James Rebanks said: "What I really felt as I listened to it was 'oh no, please don't do this. Just don't do this. This is a mistake'. And not a mistake because I'm unduly worried about James Dyson or Jeremy Clarkson paying their fair share of tax or other wealthy people, or even great estates, but because I know that the Budget was a really pivotal moment between the British government and the British public and farmers."

The Daily Express has launched the Save Britain's Family Farms crusade to demand the Government U-turns.

It is understood that a bid by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to soften changes to inheritance tax for farms - possibly by exempting some older farmers - has been rejected by the Treasury.

Defra allegedly suggested softening the policy to exempt some older people, possibly those over the age of 80.

The Treasury said there would be no change or mitigations to the policy, which will see an end to inheritance tax exemption for some farms.

But Defra is said to believe it was not properly consulted over the change, having been informed about the policy the night before it was announced in the Budget.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron MP said: "This tax hike will be a disaster for family farms across the country. Rather than blocking pleas from Defra to rethink, the Chancellor must urgently meet with the farming community and NFU to better understand their heartfelt concerns and reverse the tax hike.

"British farmers are already battling with sky-high energy bills and botched overseas trade deals; this hike will only make things much worse."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said he is concerned about the impact that the new inheritance tax rules on family farms will have on the British landscape.

He said: "Don't underestimate the fury of farmers. We don't see it very much in this country, it's almost part of a sort of national life in France.

"But back in 2000 there was a big, big farmers protest. They blockaded refineries all over the country in a protest at the price of fuel.

"And it led to such shortages that there was a really big wobble. I would argue that was the worst moment that Tony Blair had as Prime Minister. The Conservatives, even for a brief moment, went ahead of Blair in the polls.

"So don't underestimate the farmers."

It comes as income fell on almost all farm types in England last year as extreme weather hit yields and the government cut subsidies.

Average farm business income in 2023 was lower for all farm types except specialist pig farms and specialist poultry farms, figures from Defra showed.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "When these figures were first estimated back in March 2024, we said that we needed a government that would create policies to support British agriculture and help farmers and growers to build financial resilience into their businesses. Profitable farm businesses are essential if we are to deliver what the country needs; food security, with food produced to world leading standards and environmental protection.

"Instead, we have seen the opposite. The recent Budget announcing changes to Agriculture Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) have left farmers reeling. Many will be faced with a tax bill of millions. Some will be forced to sell all or part of their farm to raise the funds."

He added: "There has been a clear Treasury miscalculation of the impact this will have on farmers and growers. The Treasury has simply got its figures wrong. This policy won't protect family farms, it will do the opposite.

"The pressure is building. Defra and the Treasury are aware that on 19 November, NFU members will be making their way to Westminster to take part in our mass lobby of MPs. We will be looking them in the eye and asking if they support this family farm tax, or if they will do the right thing for their farming constituents and support our call for it to be reversed.

"The only sensible course of action is for the Treasury to reverse this decision and soon."