When you think of farmers and politics, you might picture French farmers blocking roads with burning bales of hay or driving slowly through Paris.

Most wouldn’t think of Barbour jackets and wellies stomping into Parliament Square, but that’s the week we had.

Normally when a government unveils its first budget, it has little explaining to do. It’s a chance to act on manifesto commitments with a democratic majority, giving the new Chancellor some leeway.

Yet, with farmers marching on Downing Street, the Labour government is sending out ministers to defensively claim they’re 'standing by' the Budget.

In fairness to Labour, there’s a 'black hole”'that needs filled to fix our broken public services.

The Conservative government made spending promises it couldn’t afford and failed to disclose details – the Office for Budget Responsibility said projections would have been 'materially different' if Jeremy Hunt had been transparent.

But for farmers, Labour’s proposal doesn’t add up.

Let’s focus on two problems. First, farmers don’t earn enough for their produce, partly due to Brexit-related costs, the Tories’ terrible trade deals, and supermarket pricing pressure.

Second, a tax loophole allows the rich to buy farmland to avoid inheritance tax. Both are unfair and bad for Britain.

Last year, Labour’s shadow Minister – now in government – stood on a platform and promised not to change inheritance tax rules. But now they’ve done just that.

To make matters worse, they’ve botched it - which is why farmers are marching.

The problem is, Labour’s inheritance tax solution is the worst of both worlds. It adds a level of tax most farmers can’t afford but gives a massive discount to investors.

That means wealthy land bankers can still reduce their tax bills by buying up land, but our farmers face being forced out of business, ending vital food production.

This is really important. With global instability, climate change, and future pandemics, we as an island nation, need to be able to feed ourselves.

The sensible solution would have been to introduce a genuine 'family farm test' to differentiate between real farmers and tax-dodgers.

Or, to have a detailed plan for how to make farming pay. But we don’t have either.

With the tax change not taking effect for over a year, time will tell whether the slow march against the ‘tractor tax’ picks up speed.