Scores of farmers stage tractor protest on city bypass amid inheritance tax row

Scores of farmers formed a convoy of tractors on one of Edinburgh’s main thoroughfares on Sunday as part of nationwide protests against inheritance tax changes.

The large-scale demonstration, one of several events staged across Scotland over the course of the weekend, saw the procession of tractors travel from old Craighall to the Gogar roundabout, before making the return journey on the A1 in single file along the inside line.

Some of the estimated 50 farmers taking part in the event fixed placards to their vehicles to make their feelings known. ‘No farms, no food’, read one. ‘Stop the family farm tax’, another stated. One sign left spectators in little doubt as to the anger felt towards Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, describing them as a “bunch of thieves.”

The National Farmers' Union of Scotland (NFU Scotland) said the rallies were designed to highlight how the the UK government’s proposed changes to the inheritance tax system “threaten the viability” of family farms across the whole of the country, as well as the impact this would have on businesses up and down the supply chain.

Scottish farmers stage a protest on Edinburgh city bypass over planned changes to inheritance tax. Picture: Lisa Ferguson | Lisa Ferguson

The UK government’s contentious plans involve taxing inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1 million at 20 per cent - half the standard rate - from April 2026. The government has said the change was only expected to affect about 2,000 estates each year and stressed commitment to farmers “remains steadfast.”

Lindsay Brown, NFU Scotland’s regional manager for the Lothians and Borders, was at the Edinburgh event, and said the level of engagement underlined the strength of feeling around the tax changes.

She said: “We had a great turnout from our members and there were lots of airhorns being sounded off, and lots of members of the general public came out to show their support. There were people on the flyovers the whole way, which was fantastic.

“Farmers are pretty resilient people but the inheritance tax plans have completely shocked and rocked the entire industry. It came out of the blue and it has knocked everyone for six. It makes a complete mockery of generations of farmers who have been custodians of their farms. There is a legacy of hard work that’s being destroyed.”

Around 50 tractors formed a convoy on the bypass. Picture: Lisa Ferguson | Lisa Ferguson

Mr Brown said that she had never seen “so many people so distraught” in the wake of the tax shake-up, adding: “I’ve heard stories of people of a certain age from older generations saying that they have to die before next March. When people are in that mindset in the later stages of life, it’s just horrific.

“Family farms across Scotland are going to get scooped up in this, and obviously, the impact on food security is an issue. There will be people who cannot come up with the money and have to sell of parts of their land. But will that land be farmed by the new owners? It’s reducing the land we have available for food production.”

Other rallies and demonstrations took place throughout Scotland on Saturday and Sunday, including in Perth, Irvine, Castle Douglas, Bishopton, Wick, and Inverurie. The series of rallies had originally been planned to take place on 25 January, but the protests were postponed as a result of the widespread damage caused by Storm Eowyn.