Farmers wielding tractors forced Britain’s biggest shipping port to a standstill overnight in a fiery protest against cheap imports and harsh new farming inheritance taxes.
Members of the East Anglia Farmers Unite Group rolled into the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk just before midnight Thursday, blocking both entrance gates. Police watched closely as the blockade kicked off.
Farmers Fight Back Against Foreign Imports and Tax Hikes
The demo was sparked by two main issues:
- A surge in low-quality, cheaper fruit is flooding the UK market from abroad
- The government’s plan to slap a 20% tax on inherited farmland worth over £1 million starting in 2026
One frustrated farmer explained, “British growers are getting crushed. Imported fruit doesn’t meet our welfare standards or costs, yet it’s sold cheaper.”
After months of clashes, ministers bumped the inheritance tax threshold to £2.5 million — a small win, but farmers remain on edge.
Slogans and Stand-off: Messages from the Frontline
Protest signs delivered clear warnings: “Save our farms, save our future, fight the tax” “Back British farming” “Since I could walk, my passion and purpose is farming. Don’t take our livelihoods! Save British farms.”
By 4am, safety concerns forced organisers to ease the blockade to one gate. They let dockworkers leave and allowed a medical container through, easing some tension.
Port and Police Respond; Farmers Call it ‘Worth It’
By dawn, farmers had packed up and roads cleared. The group hailed the action on social media as “a long night but worth it.”
Felixstowe Port confirmed they had prior warning and said shipping stayed on track, though some land-side delays hit freight operators. A spokesman apologised to customers caught up in the chaos.
Local haulier Adam Searle called the disruption “frustrating” and praised the secretive planning that avoided public clashes. Suffolk Police lauded organisers for keeping the protest peaceful and safe.
