Two Tier Kier

It seems there’s one rule for some and another for the rest of us. Climate protesters glue themselves to a road, and within minutes they’re manhandled into police vans, charged with a public order offence, and in some cases, thrown in jail for daring to inconvenience commuters. Meanwhile, farmers roll out in their tractors, clogging up motorways, blocking entire cities, dumping manure outside government buildings – and what happens? A light telling-off, a few conciliatory noises from politicians, and they’re free to disrupt at will.

The hypocrisy is staggering. Climate activists are sounding the alarm on the biggest existential crisis of our time – one backed by overwhelming scientific consensus – and yet they’re treated like dangerous extremists. Farmers, meanwhile, are protesting about things like subsidies and inheritance tax – a tax they can often sidestep through established tax strategies. By strategically gifting assets at least seven years before death or placing property in trusts, they can significantly reduce, if not eliminate, their tax liabilities. These measures, readily available to those with land and wealth, mean that many farming estates will continue to pass down largely untaxed. Yet, despite this clear financial advantage, they take to the streets as if they are under siege, while those fighting for the future of the planet are the ones facing criminal records. Because, let’s be honest, this isn’t really about disruption or inconvenience; it’s about who holds the power.

Farmers have political clout. They control food supply chains, they form strong voting blocs in rural constituencies, and they know how to make life difficult for governments. They apply pressure, and ministers come running, desperate to appease them. Climate protesters, on the other hand, don’t have the same economic leverage – only moral arguments – and in today’s political landscape, morality gets you nowhere unless you’ve got the money and influence to back it up.

This double standard is further reinforced by how the media frames these protests. Climate protesters are routinely accused of blocking vital services, such as ambulances, despite little evidence of widespread obstruction. Meanwhile, farmers bring entire road networks to a standstill, delaying emergency services in the process, yet the outrage is conspicuously absent. Farmers bringing cities to a standstill are portrayed as hardworking, salt-of-the-earth types standing up to faceless bureaucrats. Climate protesters doing the same thing? “Entitled eco-zealots disrupting ordinary people’s lives.” The right-wing press is clearly prioritising wealth and privilege over existential threats. They know which narrative keeps their owners and advertisers happy. It’s certainly not the one that questions fossil fuel interests or calls out government inaction on climate change.

Let’s also consider the police response. A handful of climate protesters blocking a road gets met with a full-blown tactical operation. Yet hundreds of tractors causing mass disruption? A bit of traffic control, maybe a mild warning, and then they’re left to it. Why? Because the police, like the government, enforce the rules according to who they can safely target without consequence. They can crack down on climate protesters because there’s no political cost. Farmers, on the other hand, are a different beast – upset them, and suddenly you’ve got a real crisis on your hands.

It’s not that farmers don’t have legitimate grievances – of course they do. But so do climate activists, and theirs is one that affects the entire planet. If the state is going to start jailing people for blocking roads, it should at least be consistent about it. Otherwise, it starts to look suspiciously like justice isn’t being applied evenly, but rather according to who shouts the loudest and wields the most economic and political power. That’s not law enforcement – it’s deference to power. Funny, that.

There’s some substance to this when you consider the accusations of 'two-tier Keir'. Starmer’s Labour has made a show of being tough on climate protesters, yet the same heavy-handed approach seems nowhere to be found when it comes to farmers. The answer is clear: this isn’t about fairness – it’s about playing politics with protest, selectively enforcing laws to suit those in power.