Farmers planned a wartime-themed ‘Food and Farming in a Time of War: Securing Britain’s Future’ rally in London on 29 April ahead of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Organised by Save British Farming, the protest aims to create a vintage farming spectacle in Whitehall Place in London, including machinery that kept Britain fed during the war. The organisers say the event should serve as a “reminder of wartime food insecurity”.
The demonstration aims to be a tribute to the resilience of British farmers, and by including a number of farmers bringing their dogs, will also commemorate the 1939 Great Pet Massacre, which saw 750,000 pets killed by fearful owners: “a tragic and often forgotten moment of food panic at the onset of war, reminding us what food fear looks like,” the organisers added. “It is a critical moment to demand urgent action before another crisis exposes Britain’s food system to collapse.
As well as the rally, a press conference and debate will be held including contributions from former chief economist of the NFU Dr Sean Rickard; historian and political commentator professor Anthony Glees; food security/safety expert professor Chris Elliot; Shore Capital, voice of the UK food manufacturing dr Clive Black; and army reserve officer and former home secretary James Cleverly MP.
