Rachel Reeves dug in against farmers heading to London for large-scale protests over controversial changes to inheritance tax. The Chancellor and Environment Secretary Steve Reed issued a joint statement ahead of what was expected to be demonstrations in the capital by as many as 20,000 farmers, possibly even more, outside Parliament.

The former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who owns a farm in the Cotswolds, is said to be defying doctors' orders to join farmers protesting in central London