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You are not alone if you live in the UK and feel concerned about our Government's recklessness regarding food security. What are their motives?

Whitehall Tractor Protest. © Martin Urch. Leica M11 35mm

The UK's Conservative and Labour parties have converged on "Uniparty" global interests, influenced by international non-governmental organisations and large corporations. On 4th July 2024, a baton pass took place from Rishi Sunak to Kier Starmer that continued social and economic engineering policies favoured in Davos — home of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting attended by major corporation leaders, international organisations and national heads of state.

““Only a crisis—actual or perceived—produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable””

— Milton Friedman.

Health Shock

Friedman proposed that political opportunities arise from the chaos of a crisis. This perspective aligns with the technocratic views of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which has many Western politicians as disciples. In 2020, Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chair of the WEF, co-authored a book titled "COVID-19: The Great Reset." In this book, he described the chance to "reset the world" in the wake of the global health crisis.

During COVID-19 chaos, the UK Conservative Government, influenced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), enacted unprecedented 'emergency' policies that bypassed procurement rules, exploded debt and, trading favours and contracts, transferred enormous public wealth to private hands. It is reported that the UK Government spent over £80 billion on test and trace initiatives and medical products during the declared pandemic chaos.

Can't afford to feed you. © Martin Urch. Leica M11, 35mm

Food Shock

Several WEF initiatives have encouraged national governments to reformulate their agricultural policies to align them with global reset trends. Shared policies globally are now affecting farmers, creating food-chain shocks that dismantle traditional food production systems. The last Conservative Government's approach to agriculture had implications for food production, farmer income, and rural life. UK farmers experienced many economic pressures that shocked the viability of family farms. They included less regulated cheap imports, the phasing out of food growing subsidies, rising input costs, and the need to adapt to new environmental schemes.

When Keir Starmer was asked in a 2023 interview to choose between Davos and Westminster, he famously chose Davos, saying that Westminster is "too constrained" and that going to Davos, you "actually engage with people that you can see working with in the future." Thirteen days before the Labour government's 30th October 2024 first budget, Kier Starmer and Rachel Reeves hosted Bill Gates and Larry Fink at 10 Downing Street. Both billionaires are WEF contributors and invest in agriculture-related industries and land. Bill Gates is America's largest private owner of farmland.

The high-profile visit demonstrates the UK Government's intention to engage with influential international figures on policy issues that may benefit multinational business interests. The budget released on 30th October included several policies that negatively impact farming, exacerbating food security concerns. Specifically, changes to inheritance tax rules for farmers, along with an increase in capital gains tax, could make family farms economically unviable. The policy change may force farm owners to sell their land to meet inheritance tax burdens.

Speaker before Big Ben and Parliament. © Martin Urch. Leica M11, 35mm

Parliament Protest

Left alone, British farmers ensure that our nation's food systems can withstand shocks to the food chain, whether from economic, climatic, or geopolitical factors. We control the quality of British-farmed food, which meets high purity and nutrition standards unmatched by imported goods that travel long distances. Therefore, we should oppose the forced sale of family farmland.

To anonymous international agribusinesses looking to alter the food chain for their profitability, to offset their carbon footprint, and to advance their global agenda.
By Ed Miliband (Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero), along with the renewable energy industry pushing for agricultural land use change to create large solar and wind farms.

Yesterday, approximately 500 farm tractors gathered in Whitehall, London, and drove to face the Houses of Parliament during the Prime Minister's questions session. It was a strong message to the British Government. Thousands of supporters joined farmers in advocating for the preservation of family farms and urging the government to reconsider its damaging policies.

RIP British Farming. © Martin Urch. Leica M11, 35mm

Summary

Britain's family farms are a crucial indigenous heritage, serving as generational custodians of the countryside and playing a critical role in our nation's food security. However, recent Conservative and Labour Governments have pressured family farmers and implemented policy changes prioritising international environmental goals while recklessly risking food security.

Many also see the changes to inheritance tax, which will affect 70% of farms, as a land grab for solar farms, wind farms, and housing developments. To make matters worse, the Government intends to allocate a larger aid budget to agricultural projects abroad than they expect to collect from farmers through inheritance tax changes

What's next?

I continue to work on the 'Celebrating Englishness' documentary photography project, visiting Stonehenge for the 21st December Winter Solstice. I look forward to sharing thoughts and images with you.

Martin Urch Photography owns the copyright to all writing and images.

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