UK farmers are outraged over Labour’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which could force landowners to sell their fields at lower values. Farmer Olly Harrison has hit out at the proposal, calling it unfair and damaging to agriculture.
The bill would give councils greater powers to acquire land through compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), allowing them to pay only the land’s current value, rather than its higher potential worth after development.
Farmers Furious Over Land Seizure Plans
1. Olly Harrison: “They’re Attacking Us Again and Again”
Speaking to GB News, farmer Olly Harrison expressed his anger:
“It’s just attacking us again and again, every day. There’s always something new.”
He compared the policy to Labour’s inheritance tax changes, which have already sparked protests from the farming community.
“The economy runs on trust and aspiration, not this—where if you own something, someone might take it off you. Why would you ever buy land if that’s the case?”
2. Urban Fringe Farmers Will Be Hit Hardest
Harrison warned that the biggest burden will fall on farmers near urban areas, who already face challenges such as:
Trespassing
Arson and vandalism
Illegal motorbike activity damaging fields
“If they want to build hospitals, schools, or houses, that’s fine—but why do they have to steal the land?”
He insists that landowners should receive fair compensation, reflecting the land’s true development value.
What Does the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Mean?
The bill, championed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, aims to create “the biggest building boom in a generation.”
3. How the New Law Changes Land Purchases
- Under current rules, landowners receive a higher “hope value” if their land is earmarked for development.
- The new bill would remove this, forcing farmers to sell at the lower existing market rate.
Why the Government Supports the Change:
Speeds up development of homes, schools, and hospitals.
Prevents landowners from holding out for higher prices.
Encourages investment in infrastructure and public services.
However, farmers argue this policy amounts to state-sanctioned land theft.
More Pressure on Farmers: Inheritance Tax Changes
This latest compulsory purchase order policy comes at a time when farmers are already furious over Labour’s inheritance tax reforms.
4. The So-Called ‘Family Death Tax’
- Farmers inheriting land worth over £1 million will face a 20% tax.
- Campaigners warn that this could force family farms to sell their land to pay the tax.
- Some reports suggest elderly farmers are feeling pressured into drastic actions to avoid passing on financial burdens to their families.
Harrison and other farmers see these policies as a coordinated attack on rural communities.
“It just feels like we’re being milked dry,” said GB News presenter Martin Daubney.
Farmers Protest in London
5. Growing Backlash Against Labour’s Rural Policies
Farmers have been protesting in London against:
The new inheritance tax rules.
Land being seized at reduced prices.
The government’s handling of agriculture policies.
Many farmers believe these changes threaten the future of UK farming, making it harder for families to pass land down to future generations.
“This happens in other countries, not Britain,” said Harrison.
Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill has outraged farmers, who say it will devalue their land and strip them of fair compensation. Combined with inheritance tax hikes, many in the farming community feel under attack.
With protests growing, the government faces mounting pressure to rethink policies that could devastate UK agriculture.
