Jeremy Clarkson has hit back at Victoria Derbyshire after she questioned if he bought his Diddly Squat farm to avoid inheritance tax.
The Clarkson’s Farm star was spotted at the farmers’ protests in London on Tuesday (19 November), as he arrived with his production crew and series co-stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland.
It’s estimated that between 10,000 and 40,000 people are protesting against the Labour government’s proposed inheritance tax hikes, which Clarkson has said could be “the end” for farmers.
Farmers across the country are urging the government to change course over its plans, which impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.
The former Grand Tour and Top Gear host told the BBC presenter that he was at Whitehall “to support farmers”.
“So it’s not about your farm and the fact that you bought a farm to avoid inheritance tax?” the Newsnight host asked.
Clarkson hit back, “Classic BBC” but Derbyshire referred to a Sunday Times interview in which the TV personality said that avoiding inheritance tax was “critical” to his decision to buy the farm.
“You told the Sunday Times in 2021 that was why you bought it,” she said.
The farmer was left unimpressed as he hit out: “You people ... BBC. OK, let’s start from the beginning. I wanted to shoot, OK? That’s even worse, to the BBC, I wanted to shoot. Which comes with the benefit of not having to pay inheritance tax. Now I do.
“But people like me will simply put it in a trust, and so long as I live for seven years, that’s fine. And as my daughter said, you will live for seven years. You might be in a deep freeze at the end of it, but you will live for seven years.
“But it’s incredibly time consuming to have to do that, and why should all these people have to do that?”
Derbyshire suggested that the government was considering changing the rules to raise money for public services to which Clarkson pointed at the crowd and asked them, “Are you listening to this?”
“Have you tried to get a GP appointment recently?” Derbyshire asked.
Clarkson said he had because of recently experiencing a heart attack. She reiterated that 4 per cent of the population paid inheritance task.
“Ninety-six per cent of the population of the UK does not pay inheritance tax. After this becomes law, 96 per cent of farmers will.”
However, the government have insisted that 73 per cent of farmers will remain unaffected.
Derbyshire asked him: “Where have you got that figure from?”
Clarkson said: “The same place where Rachel Reeves does. From the middle of her head. From the Sixth Form debating society that she was no doubt a member of. Which formed her opinions and yours.”
Derbyshire told him: “I am not expressing opinions, I am literally asking you questions. You know that, Mr Clarkson.”
Asked where the money should come from, he said: “Walk into any of the offices round here. If you don’t understand what somebody’s job is, fire them.”
