Farmers drove many tractors in a slow convoy to Britain’s Parliament to protest new rules and trade deals after Brexit. They say these are putting their jobs and food supply at risk.
Fans of the campaign groups Save British Farming and Fairness for Farmers of Kent traveled from southeast England through the southern parts of the capital to reach Parliament Square. Dozens of supporters were there to greet them.
A row of tractors with Union Jack flags or signs saying “Stop bad imports” drove along the River Thames and towards the Houses of Parliament. Then they went around Parliament Square while people cheered and honked their horns.
Britain has not had big protests from farmers like France and other European countries. Farmers from 27 countries in Europe are upset about too many rules, environmental targets, and competition from other countries. They think this is making them go out of business.
The UK agriculture has been greatly impacted by Britain leaving the EU, which meant that Britain was no longer part of the EU’s free trade area and complicated farming regulations.
Many British farmers supported Brexit because they didn’t like the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. Many people are saying that after Brexit, trade deals with countries like Australia and New Zealand are allowing cheap imports to come into the UK and compete with products made in Britain.
Organizers are also unhappy with products being labeled with the Union flag without actually being grown or reared in Britain.
The UK has decided to wait before checking imports that were supposed to start after the country finished breaking ties with the EU in 2020. Farmers are worried this could harm efforts to keep diseases out.
Liz Webster, a farmer who grows beef and crops in western England, is one of the protest leaders. She said the government has completely let us down.
She said that people support British farming and food and want to keep high standards and help local producers. “We need to completely change our trade deals and stop them quickly because they will greatly harm British food. “
Date:
Farmers in UK ride in tractors to Parliament to protest laws they claim endanger their livelihoods
