1.1.3 – Pressure groups
On 23 December, the Government announced that its proposed inheritance tax on family farms was being amended, with the threshold rising by more than double from £1m to £2.5m. Whilst the timing of the announcement might cynically be described as ‘a good time to bury bad news’, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which describes itself as ‘the voice of British farming’, was quick to welcome the news and outline its role in the change to government policy.
As a sectional pressure group, representing the specific interests of farmers, the NFU used a combination of insider and outsider tactics. Insider methods included meetings with ministers and MPs, submitting evidence to parliamentary inquiries, and proposing alternative policy solutions such as a clawback system, designed to target inherited land which came to be used for housing and development, rather than land which remained in use for farming.
The NFU President, Tom Bradshaw, met with Keir Starmer in Downing Street on 15 December. After the meeting, Bradshaw is quoted as saying, “It is clear to me the Prime Minister is listening to the clear messages he is hearing from Labour MPs, and their constituents. There is still time to take action to remove those most at risk from the eye of this storm”. These actions show how established pressure groups with expertise can gain access to decision-makers and attempt to shape legislation from within.
At the same time, the NFU employed outsider tactics to generate public and political pressure. It organised large-scale demonstrations, coordinated a national petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures, and encouraged farmers to contact their MPs directly. The pressure of the campaign on parliamentarians culminated on 2 December, when one rural Labour MP, Markus Campbell-Savours (Penrith and Solway), voted against the inheritance tax plan, and an estimated 30 Labour MPs actively chose to abstain on the vote.
These activities aimed to raise media attention, mobilise public support, and signal the electoral importance of rural communities. The NFU also drew on the support of Jeremy Clarkson (the host of Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm), who voiced support for the campaign and took part in their protests in Westminster.
Whilst the government will not publicly put their decision down to the role played by a pressure group (as this would incentivise other such groups to increase their campaigning on particular issues), it is clear the work of the NFU played a significant role in the decision taken. The campaign highlights key themes in the study of pressure groups, including the use of multiple strategies, the importance of resources and organisation, and the ability of groups to influence debate even if they do not fully change policy.