Tractors rolled on Whitehall for the second time in the last 30 days today as farmers vented their anger over Starmer and Reeves’ ‘anti-farming Stalinist offensive’.
Much of the criticism has been levelled at Chancellor Reeves’ budget which saw death duties slapped on previously exempt farmers, as well as increasing taxes on fertiliser and pickup trucks.
The measures have prompted commentators and voters to label Labour as out of touch with the countryside and the party of the liberal elite.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed, who has been vehemently defending Reeves’ tax raid on farmers as a ‘fair and balanced way’ to plug the £22billion black hole, has been singled out for criticism.
Born in St Albans, Reed worked in publishing and was Leader of Lambeth Council before entering politics as MP for the urban seat of Streatham and Croydon North in London.
The English graduate only became Shadow Environment Secretary in September 2023, serving as Shadow ministerial roles in Housing and Local Government and Justice before that.
Reed did not help himself when, on a farm visit a few weeks ago, he wore a pair of luxury wellies worth £420.
Farmers and rural commentators were quick to highlight the wellies as a symbol of disconnect between the Cabinet and countryside.
GB News has analysed the Labour cabinet members’ constituencies and can reveal not one member represents a rural patch.
Labour Cabinet Members’ constituencies
GB News
This comes after new polling showed rural voters are abandoning Labour for the Tories and Reform after backlash from Chancellor Reeves’ budget.
A Survation poll of over 1,000 people in England’s 100 most rural seats found two thirds of voters (66 per cent) say Labour “doesn’t understand or respect rural communities,” up from 33 per cent before the election.
The landmark research put Reform level with Labour in the countryside as support for Starmer crashed.
Keir Starmer’s party polled 21 per cent across England’s most rural constituencies, 13 percentage points behind the Conservatives (34 per cent) and equal with Reform (21 per cent) who were up five percentage points.
The poll also found more than half of voters (57 per cent) say they now trust Labour less, while nearly a quarter of Labour voters in July are “unhappy” with their vote.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research also found the countryside to be backing farmers.
Opposition to the inheritance tax hike stands at 58 per cent, with less than a quarter in support. Even among Labour voters in rural areas, 44 per cent are against, while 37 per cent are in favour.
A Defra spokesperson said: “Our commitment to farmers remains steadfast – we have committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years, including more money than ever for sustainable food production, and we are developing a 25-year farming roadmap, focusing on how to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come.
“Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Relief will impact around 500 estates a year. For these estates, inheritance tax will be at half the rate paid by others, with 10 years to pay the liability back interest free. This is a fair and balanced approach which fixes the public services we all rely on.”
LATEST FROM MEMBERSHIP:
List of Labour Cabinet Members and their constituencies:
| Sir Keir Starmer | Holborn and St Pancras |
| Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne |
| Rachel Reeves | Leeds West and Pudsey |
| Yvette Cooper | Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley |
| Ed Miliband | Doncaster North |
| David Lammy | Tottenham |
| Pat McFadden | Wolverhampton South East |
| Shabana Mahmood | Birmingham Ladywood |
| Wes Streeting | Ilford North |
| Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde |
| Liz Kendall | Leicester West |
| John Healey | Rawmarsh and Conisbrough |
| Heidi Alexander | Swindon South |
| Peter Kyle | Hove and Portslade |
| Hilary Benn | Leeds South |
| Ian Murray | Edinburgh South |
| Bridget Phillipson | Houghton and Sunderland South |
| Lord Hermer | Life peer |
| Lisa Nandy | Wigan |
| Sir Alan Campbell | Tynemouth |
| Darren Jones | Bristol North West |
| Baroness Smith | Life peer |
| Lucy Powell | Manchester Central |
| Jo Stevens | Cardiff East |
| Steve Reed | Streatham and Croydon North |
| Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East |
| Ellie Reeves | Lewisham West and East Dulwich |
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