NFU in the media – Autumn Budget round up

06 November 2024

A montage of print coverage from a variety of newspapers

The NFU press team works with the national and local media and other journalists  to ensure the public and key stakeholders understand the challenges British farmers and growers face.

The NFU has achieved unprecedented media coverage in the wake of the Autumn Budget, building pressure on the government to reverse planned changes to inheritance tax.

With eight national front-page features, four national opinion pieces and blanket broadcast coverage, the NFU is building pressure on the government to reverse planned changes to inheritance tax.

Unmatched reach and public engagement

Since the Budget, the NFU has been mentioned in the press more than 2,300 times discussing its impact on British food and farming – this is equivalent to an entire month’s worth of media coverage (on average).

This includes:

  • 200+ articles across all national print and online outlets
  • 200+ mentions across national broadcast channels
  • 1800+ mentions in regional and local outlets
  • 100+ articles in the farming trade press

The highlights

The NFU has secured a number of high-profile and influential interviews and opinion pieces:

  • Columns by NFU President Tom Bradshaw in The Telegraph, Financial Times and Daily Express.
  • NFU Deputy President David Exwood on LBC News and as a panellist on the Farmers Guardian Budget webinar.
  • NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos on Sky News’ Tonight with Anna Jones.
  • Front-page articles in the Daily Express, The Sun, four front-page articles in The Telegraph and two in The Times.
  • Yorkshire mixed farmer Rebecca Wilson on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (19:19), where she asked Chancellor Rachel Reeves about the tax’s impact on young farmers. Rebecca also wrote a column for the Independent.

 

 

NFU Deputy President David Exwood on LBC News

Monday and Tuesday’s coverage

With the start of the new week came more interviews with Tom Bradshaw after he met with Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Treasury Minister James Murray.

Tom featured on Times Radio, LBC News, Sky News and BBC Radio 4’s World at One (24:00). News bulletins across Times Radio, GB News and LBC News also repeatedly covered the story.

The team also organised a press briefing with print journalists after the meeting, which resulted in a number of national articles.

The Guardian reported the NFU’s rebuttal of the Treasury’s figures suggesting that only 27% of farm businesses will be affected, and  The Times also fact-checked the government’s claim about the tax’s impact.

The Daily Mail, Independent and Evening Standard also answered key questions about the tax for the public.

Meanwhile the Daily Mail featured Devon sheep farmer Robin Milton and Merseyside farmer Olly Harrison.

The Guardian NFU  rebuttal

The Telegraph highlights the mental health struggles many farmers are facing, featuring Yorkshire farmer and former Student and Farmer Ambassador Rebecca Wilson and Milton Keynes farmer and NFU combinable crops board member Richard Heady.

The NFU’s strong position raised the issue high in the media agenda, with opinion pieces from people in the sector and regular columnists in high demand.

This included two columns in the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday (by former NFU President Minette Batters), The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph.

Weekend highlights

The NFU’s pushback against inheritance tax changes was a high-profile story, with the NFU President and other NFU representatives featured across numerous outlets over the weekend highlighting the potential impact family farms across the UK – see coverage in the highlights section above.

The Sunday Times did a double page spread after visiting dairy board member Amy Egglestone on her farm to discuss her concerns about the changes to inheritance tax.

Midlands regional board chair Jane Bassett also featured in the piece outlining the potential impacts on tenant farmers.

Top UK news podcasts like News Agents, Newscast and The Rest is Politics also covered the story, raising the issue with tens of thousands of listeners and mentioning the NFU’s involvement.

The Times Amy Eggleston

Friday round-up

Following Wednesday’s Budget, Tom Bradshaw was in high demand and his interviews spanned several major broadcast outlets.

He featured on Channel 4 News (3:33), Sky News, LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr (33:14), BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today, BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast (1:27:09), LBC News with Martin Stanford and Times Radio with Hugo Rifkind.

He was also interviewed across twelve local BBC radio stations.

NFU Cymru President Aled Jones and Vice President Abi Reader were featured across various Welsh media channels. This included Aled on BBC Radio Cymru’s Bwletin Amaeth and Post Prynhawn (50:24) and Abi on ITV News, BBC Wales’ Breakfast (17:10), Evening and Late News and BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake up to Money (44:44).

NFU President Tom Bradshaw on LBC news

The NFU earned mentions on BBC News at 10 and BBC 2’s Newsnight, where the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason quizzed the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on changes to APR and BPR, as well as across news bulletins on BBC Radio 2, 4, 5 Live and 6 Music.

Other prominent interviews included NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins on Sky News, NFU Midlands Regional Board chair Jane Bassett on Talk TV (34:20) and NFU North regional director David Hall on BBC Breakfast.

NFU Crops Board appointee Will Oliver spoke to The Guardian as Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Naomi Williams-Roberts featured in the Daily Express.

Jane Bassett was also featured in the Daily Express alongside Lincolnshire member Henry Ward.

Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian reported on the NFU’s plans for a mass lobby in London later this month to highlight farmers’ dissatisfaction about inheritance tax changes. This was also highlighted in The Telegraph's live Budget coverage.

Jane Bassett on Talk TV

Looking ahead

The NFU’s unprecedented media presence has helped to elevate the voice of Britain’s farmers and put serious pressure on the Treasury.

The NFU will continue to seek media coverage ahead of the mass lobby on the 19 November, urging the government to reconsider this policy for the sake of British family farms and British food production.