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Local farmers stage protest through Ipswich and on A14 with more than 60 tractors

A protest by farmers is taking place along a section of the A14 today between 10:00 and 16:00, with more than 60 tractors causing delays for motorists.

Tractors travelling down Fore Street in Ipswich
Tractors travelling down Fore Street in Ipswich
(Anglia Picture Agencywww.angliapictureagency.co.uk)

Why it matters: The Suffolk and Essex protest organisation was set up in the wake of last year's controversial budget, when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a new farm inheritance tax.

The details: The protest began at a farm in Wherstead at 10:00, with tractors travelling along the A137 into Ipswich, proceeding along Wherstead Road, Hawes Street and Vernon Street.

The convoy then moved into Bridge Street and over Stoke Bridge, turning right at the Novotel roundabout into Star Lane, continuing to the junction with Grimwade Street and then onto Fore Street. It turned right into Duke Street, proceeding along Cliff Road, Toller Road, Landseer Road and Nacton Road.

The convoy joined the A14 eastbound at Junction 57, next to Ransomes Europark, and continued to the end of Port of Felixstowe Road, where it circumnavigated the Dock Gate 1 roundabout and returned along the Port of Felixstowe Road onto the A14 westbound towards Wherstead.

The protest is continuing to loop along the A14 from Junction 56 at Wherstead to Dock Gate 1 in Felixstowe until it disperses at 16:00.

Tractors were spotted on the A14 traffic cameras at around 11:20, with drivers facing delays on the Orwell Bridge as tractors travelled at 20mph in lane two, to allow traffic to join and exit the A14.

A police motorcycle escorted tractors
A police motorcycle escorted tractors(Andy Proctor)

For context: Farmers have been exempt from paying inheritance tax for the last few decades. But Chancellor Rachel Reeves chose controversially in her first budget to cut a farmer exemption to fill a £22bn public finance "black hole" which she said she inherited from the last Tory administration.

The tax, due to take effect in April next year, and a host of other financial blows that farmers have suffered, have prompted a wave of protests all over the country.

Since last October's budget, there have been two go-slow protest tractor rallies along the A14 heading up to Bury St Edmunds and back to Felixstowe.

The bottom line: More than 60 tractors are causing significant disruption on the A14 as farmers protest against inheritance tax changes, with delays expected to continue until 16:00.

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