Fuming Jeremy Clarkson savages Labour’s punitive tax hikes in surprise appearance at Tory conference

TELLY star Jeremy ­Clarkson blasted Labour for making Britain bad for businesses — as he made a surprise appearance at Tory conference yesterday.  

The ex-Top Gear and Grand Tour host asked why anyone would set up a firm here after his Farmer’s Dog pub — famous from his Clarkson’s Farm show — was hit by a £146,000 National Insurance hike. 

6Surprise visit . . . Charlie Ireland and Jeremy, of Clarkson’s Farm, with Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins

The Sun columnist also revealed he was dreaming of opening his next boozer abroad to escape ­punitive taxes. He asked Tory activists in Birmingham: “Why would anybody set up a business in this country right now?” 

Jeremy opened the pub near his farm in Oxfordshire two years ago, but said soaring costs had made running it increasingly painful. 

He added: “I’ll see if I can do it abroad somewhere. I probably won’t, but I’m dreaming of it.” 

The petrolhead then took a swipe at Labour’s controversial plans to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at an ex-military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire. 

6Clarkson also renewed his war with Labour over its inheritance tax shake-up for family farms

6TV presenter Clarkson and shadow minister Atkins attend day two of the Conservative Party Conference

In a reference to furious villagers voting to “leave” the UK in a ­symbolic referendum last month over the asylum plans, he joked: “I might have to go to Piddington. That’s abroad, isn’t it?” 

The TV presenter’s biggest beef was the soaring cost of keeping his pub and Diddly Squat Farm going. He said costs at The Farmer’s Dog were rising at an “almost unbelievable rate”. He said: “The National Insurance has gone up by £146,000. 

“Just when you get it to profitability, along they come and say, right, your National Insurance has gone up by £140,000.  

“Our fuel bill has gone up by £30,000 since the Iran business. 

Labour announced in its first Budget that it would end unlimited 100 per cent inheritance tax relief on agricultural and business property

The petrolhead also took a swipe at Labour’s controversial plans to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire

“The attacks come from everywhere — whether it’s Iran or Ukraine or taxes or energy costs — whatever it might be, it’s just relentless.” 

Jeremy also renewed his war with Labour over its inheritance tax shake-up for family farms, saying ministers did not understand how farming works and warning families could be forced to carve up holdings which have been passed down for generations. 

Sitting on stage with Diddly Squat Farm adviser Charlie ­Ireland and Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins, ­Jeremy said: “With a farm, you’d have to sell a bit of it, making it even less profitable, or you’d sell the whole lot.  

“And the person moving in doesn’t necessarily know how to farm. I mean, look at me.” 

He continued: “It makes perfect sense for the way the countryside looks and our food supply system for farmers, to pass it on to the only people who know how to do it, which is your kids.” 

Labour announced in its first Budget it would end unlimited 100 per cent inheritance tax relief on agricultural and business ­property. The policy sparked months of furious demonstrations, with tractors repeatedly descending on Westminster. 

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? host Jeremy, left, joined thousands of farmers protesting in London and urged ministers to back down. Labour partially U-turned last December, more than doubling the full-relief allowance from £1million to £2.5million.

But Jeremy made it clear he still believes the tax was wrong and that it was just one of a barrage of ­problems hitting farmers. 

He demanded a bonfire of countryside red tape, arguing farmers did not need officials telling them how to protect their own land. 

Day two of the Tory conference also saw Shadow Energy Secretary Andrew Bowie vowing to force new nuclear power stations on Scotland if his party returns to government. 

He declared that “no part of ­Britain will be off-limits” and told the ruling SNP: “Bring it on!” He also tore into Andy Burnham’s ­Government, claiming it was dithering over the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil fields amid fears of losing votes to the Greens. 

Meanwhile, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately insisted anxiety or ADHD should not be a reason for young people to be out of work.