Keir Starmer has slapped down a former Labour adviser who said the government should put farms out of business.
John McTernan, who worked in No10 when Tony Blair was prime minister, said “we can do to them what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners”.
He was responding to reports that farmers are set to protest at changes to inheritance tax rules announced by Rachel Reeves in the Budget.
They mean that farms worth more than £1 million could become liable to the tax when their owners die.
McTernan told GB News: “If farmers want to go on the streets, we can do to them what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners.”
Presenter Patrick Christys said: “So just to be clear, John, you would beat them up?”
McTernan replied: “It’s an industry we could do without.”
Christys then said: “OK, alright. It’s just got weird. So you would do to farmers what Margaret Thatcher did to miners, which was ...”
McTernan then interrupted to say: “Close down the industry.”
He added: “If people are so upset that they want to go on the streets and spread slurry on them ... we don’t need the small farmers.”
Asked about his comments at a press conference at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, Starmer said: “I totally disagree. I’m absolutely committed to supporting our farmers. I said that before the election and after the election.
“I will do everything I can to support them because I think it’s essential that they not only prosper but prosper well into the future. So I totally disagree with those comments.”