Keir Starmer has slapped down a former Labour adviser who said the government should put farms out of business. John McTernan, who worked in No10 when Tony Blair was prime minister, said “we can do to them what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners”.

Sir Keir Starmer has pushed back on comments made by ex-Tony Blair adviser John McTernan, who told GB News small farming is “an industry we can do without”. The former aide's comments come amid ongoing backlash to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ planned changes to inheritance tax.

Credit: GBNewsA former aide to Sir Tony Blair has called on Labour to “do to the farmers what Thatcher did to the miners”.John McTernan, who was Sir Tony’s political secretary, told the Chancellor not to budge on her inheritance tax raid on agricultural land,

Prime Minister says he disagrees with suggestion government should do battle with farmers like Thatcher did with miners

John McTernan, who has been a supporter of Sir Keir Starmer, said farming is an industry the UK "could do without"

Tony Blair's former political secretary was called ‘heartless' last night after going on an anti-farmer rant in defence of Rachel Reeves' tax hike.

John McTernan, who served as Tony Blair’s political secretary, sparked fury as he said family farming is ‘an industry we can do without’

PM ‘totally disagrees’ with ex-Blair aide’s claim UK does not need small farmers - Former political adviser John McTernan said the Government should ‘do what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners’ to protesting farmers.