You've probably heard of the mass protest happening in the UK from British farmers who are rightfully angry over the government attempting to tax them to kingdom come... and I mean that literally.
The UK passed an enormous inheritance tax of 20 percent, meaning when a farmer dies, 20 percent of his estate goes to the government, leaving the family he leaves behind with a lot less, which often includes the land itself.
And why? Because the British left-leaning Labour Party-led government needs to find ways to fund all its social programs.
According to the Associated Press, British farmers are taking a page out of the French farmer's book, and taking to the streets:
“Everyone’s mad,” said Olly Harrison, co-organizer of a protest that flooded the streets around Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Downing Street office. He said many “want to take to the streets and block roads and go full French.”
Organizers urged protesters not to bring farm machinery into central London, though a handful of tractors drove past Downing Street festooned with signs saying “the final straw” and “no farmers, no food.”
They were cheered by a crowd that police estimated at 13,000. Some held signs proclaiming “Stand with a farmer, not Starmer.”
Children on toy tractors looped round Parliament Square after a rally addressed by speakers including former “Top Gear” TV host and celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson. Another 1,800 farmers were invited into Parliament for a “mass lobby” organized by the National Farmers’ Union.
AP calls British star Jeremy Clarkson the "former 'Top Gear' TV host" and a "celebrity farmer," but Clarkson has probably done more to bring the realities of farming to the people than anyone in the world has previously. His Amazon Prime show "Clarkson's Farm" is an incredible piece of programming that highlights the ups and downs of farming life, but the central villain of the program is always the British government, which complicates matters far more than it should have any right to.
(READ: The Show 'Clarkson's Farm' Should Be Required Viewing for the Whole World)
Naturally, Clarkson decided to go and lend his voice to his fellow farmers, giving a speech denouncing the BBC and this "infernal government" for its abuse of farmers.
And with that, Jeremy Clarkson has become the most important political orator in Britain
— Connor Tomlinson (@Con_Tomlinson) November 19, 2024
Detractors accuse him of cashing in on a farmland inheritance tax avoidance scheme
But the fact is, the people who produce our food feel he represents thempic.twitter.com/3aG4LUreAW
During this speech, he mentioned having a sparring match with the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire just moments beforehand. That moment was captured on camera, and you can see how the BBC attempts to spin the narrative on behalf of the government, however Clarkson wasn't having it.
He proceeded to make a fool out of Derbyshire despite her attempts to make him look ridiculous, but the best moment came when Derbyshire asked Clarkson where the government should get money to fund services like the NHS, if not from the farmers.
Clarkson pointed to Parliament.
"See that building over there? If you don't understand what somebody's job is, fire them," he said.
Victoria Derbyshire: "What is your message to this government?"
— Connor Tomlinson (@Con_Tomlinson) November 19, 2024
Jeremy Clarkson: "Please back down."
Derbyshire: "And get the money from where?"
Clarkson: "See that building over there? If you don't understand what somebody's job is, fire them." pic.twitter.com/B9B1jklreF
It seems governments all over the world are seeing their populations become more and more angry over the way it rides roughshod over the people. Here in America, and in Argentina, that has resulted in severe regime change. Let's see if Europe follows up in similar capacity.
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