Jeremy Clarkson furious as farmers 'shafted' in Budget - 'don't despair'

Jeremy Clarkson has slammed the budget, implying it offers no relief for hard-pressed farmers. Despite Rachel Reeves not imposing the dreaded increase in fuel duty—a concern for petrol devotee Jeremy—he expressed great dissatisfaction over the support given to farmers, bluntly stating they've been 'shafted'.

He vented on X: "Farmers. I know that you have been shafted today. But please don't despair. Just look after yourselves for five short years and this shower will be gone." Earlier, he also cryptically tweeted: "Rachel Reeves. I literally daren't comment."

Clarkson has long advocated for more state backing for farmers who have faced hardships post-Brexit with inadequate measures to substitute the lost EU subsidies. The reception to the budget was met with similar frustration by the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

NFU President Tom Bradshaw did not mince his words regarding the impact of the budget: "This budget not only threatens family farms but also makes producing food more expensive which means more cost for farmers who simply cannot absorb it and it will have to be passed up the supply chain or risk the resilience of our food production.", reports Gloucestershire Live.

Bradshaw continued, expressing grave concerns especially for tenant farmers: "It's been a disastrous budget for family farmers and especially tenant farmers, The shameless breaking of clear promises on agricultural property relief will snatch away the next generation's ability to carry on producing British food, plan for the future and shepherd the environment."

"It's clear the government does not understand or perhaps doesn't care, that many family farms are not only small farms, and that just because a farm is a valuable asset, it doesn't mean those who work it are wealthy. This is one of a number of measures in the budget which make it harder for farmers to stay in business and significantly increase the cost of producing food."

"Before the election Keir Starmer promised to establish a new relationship with farming and the countryside. Well, he's certainly done that."

Conservationists are ringing alarm bells about a "monumental gap" between the current funds available and what is essential to support nature, despite the Budget’s decision to maintain farming expenditure at its present rate. The Government has earmarked £5 billion to cover England's farming budget for the subsequent two years, which keeps to the existing annual level of £2.4 billion for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

In addition, this year’s budget will account for a £200 million underspending from previous allotments. Funding for environmental land management schemes (Elms) is set to hit a record £1.8 billion as the novel initiative takes over from old EU-related subsidies—traditionally calculated based on the scale of land farmed—with payments prioritising eco-friendly agricultural practices and the establishment of wildlife habitats.

Furthermore, there's a £400 million allotment across the biennium for tree-planting and peatland restoration projects aimed at restoring habitats and sequestering carbon as part of efforts against climate change, a budget that observers note is largely consistent with preceding funding levels for such initiatives under the former administration.

Concerns had been raised that the Environment Department (Defra) might face further cuts after enduring years of spending constraints, or that the Treasury would reclaim recent underspend in the farming budget to address what it has termed a "black hole" in the nation's finances. Although Defra's overall funding will see a modest real-term increase this year and next, there is a slight dip in its day-to-day spending budget, with officials flagging £600 million in "funding pressures" for farming and flood defences—essentially commitments without allocated funds.

Elliot Chapman-Jones, head of public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, commented: "Nature-friendly farming is central to both nature recovery and food security."

He noted that while the overall farming budget remains largely unchanged, this stagnation makes it tougher to implement the necessary enhancements for nature. Chapman-Jones highlighted that the real-terms budget for farming is on the decline, and approximately £3.1 billion is required for nature-friendly farming in England alone.

"Ultimately, there is a monumental gap between current funding and what is needed to reverse wildlife declines, clean up rivers and significantly reduce the use of chemicals on farms."

Tom Lancaster, an analyst specialising in land, food, and farming at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) think tank, observed that the budget merely "maintain[s] the status quo, just about keeping the show on the road for now".

"Much more funding will be needed at the next spending review to support farmers, avoid jeopardising climate targets and boost the resilience of farming to climate impacts like the devastating wet winter we experienced this year," he said. Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president Victoria Vyvyan commented that holding the budget since 2014 would hit struggling farmers hard, as it coincides with an accelerated transition from old payment schemes, potentially harming investment in farming.

She also cautioned: "It could hit sustainable food production and undermine improvements to wildlife habitats, flood management and access to nature."

However, Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, viewed the decision to uphold the budget as better news "than we could have hoped for in the lead-up to the Budget". He advised: "Increasing funding and prioritising nature-friendly farming will help put agriculture on a more sustainable footing and enable the changes required to continue feeding our nation as climate change presents ongoing challenges," Nevertheless, he indicated the current funding levels are lacking, as they fall far below the £5.9 billion annual UK spend suggested by countryside and environmental groups to meet established nature, climate goals, and sustain British farming.