SCOTLAND’s Agriculture Minister has called on Scottish Labour to clarify whether a senior Labour figure speaks for them after he said “we don’t need small farmers”.
Jim Fairlie told The National that leader Anas Sarwar should “disassociate himself” from the controversial remarks.
John McTernan, a still influential figure in Labour who was ex-prime minister Tony Blair's political secretary, made the comments while discussing the planned protests by farmers over the inheritance tax rises announced in Rachel Reeves’ Budget.
The decision means farmers will have to pay 20 per cent of tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m from April 2026 – and has been called the “tractor tax” as a result, with the industry warning it could lead to farm closures and threaten UK food security.
McTernan told GB News: “If the farmers want to go on the streets – we can do to them what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners.”
He added: “It’s an industry we can do without.
“If people are so upset that they want to go on the streets and spread slurry then we don’t need small farmers.”
The comments sparked anger, including among farmers. And now, Scottish Agriculture Minister Fairlie has spoken out.
The SNP MSP called for Scottish Labour to clarify if McTernan speaks for the party and whether this intervention from his is a “personal attack” on family farms.
He added: “Either way, it’s an incredibly crass statement to hear from someone who was a spin doctor for Tony Blair, and one must assume held in high regard by some.
“It also, yet again, clarifies a complete ignorance of Labour spokespeople as to the reality of family farming and its contribution to food production, environmental protection, biodiversity protection, carbon sequestration and, importantly, preventing rural depopulation.
Fairlie went on: “Without farmers, there’s no local food or the expertise, practical experience and technology for us to maintain and enhance our food sector or rural communities.
"Sarwar should disassociate himself from these comments, and McTernan should give an unreserved apology to the thousands of family farmers who are the bedrock of our food and drink sector and rural Scotland.”
Scottish Labour referred The National to Keir Starmer's comments, in which the Prime Minister distanced himself from the Blair-era aide’s comments.
Speaking to reporters in Baku while attending the Cop29 conference on climate change, he said: “No, I totally disagree. I’m absolutely committed to supporting our farmers. I said that before the election and I say it after the election.
“That is why, in our Budget … I was very pleased that we are investing £5 billion of our budget over the next two years into farming.
“That is really important for our farmers and I will do everything I can to support them because I think it is important that they not only prosper but prosper well into the future.
“So I totally disagree with those comments.”
