Noisy demonstration forces PM’s party to cancel speeches.
The Prime Minister was forced to abandon a special visit to Milton Keynes this morning after protesting farmers drowned out his conversations with construction workers.
Sir Keir Starmer went to the massive MK East development between the city and Newport Pagnell this morning to speak to workers and unveil further plans to create more new towns across the UK.
But he was met with a loud demonstration by dozens of farmers with tractors and other machinery who blocked his way off the A509 site and drowned out any conversation or announcement with blaring horns.
Farmers and landowners have been staging a series of protests across the UK following the Government’s recent inheritance tax budget change which will affect any farm worth more than £1 million.
The Prime Minister though, was more interested in announcing his plans for ‘the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era’. The Government has said it wants to create ‘well-designed, beautiful communities with affordable housing, GP surgeries, schools and public transport where people will want to live’.
Sir Keir was hoping to use the MK East development as an example of growing town communities even though the work there has had its own problems, especially in terms of late completion.
Last week, MK City Council was forced to explain the reasons for the development’s delays, blaming ‘bad weather and the sheer extent of the MK East project’s work’ for local diversions which have been running for more than 500 days.
Local commuters and Newport Pagnell business owners have said they want to see a ‘proper timetable’ for completion.
