One of the last places you'd expect to get stuck behind a tractor would be in central London, so some residents might have been surprised to spot a long line of them marching into the capital yesterday.

The reason for the visit was a slow moving and noisy demonstration against the risk of UK food standards being lowered in pursuit of a trade deal with the US.

Around 20 of tractors slowly made their way to Parliament, with the campaigners from Save British Farming dressed as fruit and vegetables in order to "save Britain from chlorinated chicken and hormone-fuelled beef."

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The slow-go protest was pictured crossing Westminster Bridge, with several Londoners tweeting surprised pictures of the tractors, and many confused as to the reason for the demonstration.

Save British Farming, the group behind the protest, warned that half of the UK’s farms could be put at risk, should the Agriculture Bill, fail to legislate to protect British agricultural and food production standards in future deals.

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In an impassioned video plea posted on social media backing the movement, British author Emma Kennedy asked supporters to write to their MP expressing their concerns.

"If you want to help save British farms; if you want to maintain the food standards we have grown used to; if you animal welfare standards to remain as they were; if you don’t want British farms to have to return to the bad old days of intensive farming; if you don’t want to see half of British farms go under – then write to your MP."

 

 

Environment Secretary George Eustice and International Trade Secretary Liz Truss have insisted the Government remains "firmly committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards outside the EU".