UK minister's $550 rubber boots spark outrage among farmers, according to reports
Britain’s Environment Secretary is facing backlash for choosing rain boots that cost almost $550 for a rural visit. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The agricultural community is furious over Environment Secretary Steve Reed's choice of luxury rubber boots, which have stirred significant controversy.
Reed was photographed alongside former National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters while wearing £420 Le Chameau wellies, described by the manufacturer as exclusive hand-crafted footwear. The boots feature a “premium leather lining” complemented by a leather insole and come in the “iconic green” color.
Reports suggest that these expensive wellies were not purchased by Reed but were instead a gift from Lord Waheed Alli, a prominent Labour donor and director of Le Chameau. At the time of the gift, the boots were valued at £270, just under the £300 threshold that would have required registration among the minister's interests.
The outrage among British farmers has been vocal and direct, as many feel the minister's fashion choice is out of touch with their reality. Aled Thomas, a farmer and Conservative councillor in Pembrokeshire, Wales, stated, “You’ll never see a farmer who wears £400 wellies, because we’re getting them covered in muck every day.” He added that people “are feeling quite insulted” by the display.
Andrew Court, a farmer from Staffordshire, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that Reed's choice of footwear was not suitable for farming. “They’re absolutely not the kind of wellies a farmer would wear… Anything above £100 is not really appropriate for farming, it’s for driving your Chelsea tractor, that sort of thing.”
The uproar over the wellies coincided with Reed's remarks made earlier this week before budget hearings. Speaking to The Guardian, he encouraged farmers and conservationists to “learn to do more with less,” attributing budget challenges to the UK being “among the most nature-depleted countries in the world.”
While the budget for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs remains unchanged, the government introduced a plan to impose an effective inheritance tax rate of 20% on business and agricultural assets valued over £1 million. Previously, farmland had been exempt from such taxes, and this new measure, expected to take effect in April 2026, has been widely interpreted as a threat to many family farms.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Reed was photographed alongside former National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters while wearing £420 Le Chameau wellies, described by the manufacturer as exclusive hand-crafted footwear. The boots feature a “premium leather lining” complemented by a leather insole and come in the “iconic green” color.
Reports suggest that these expensive wellies were not purchased by Reed but were instead a gift from Lord Waheed Alli, a prominent Labour donor and director of Le Chameau. At the time of the gift, the boots were valued at £270, just under the £300 threshold that would have required registration among the minister's interests.
The outrage among British farmers has been vocal and direct, as many feel the minister's fashion choice is out of touch with their reality. Aled Thomas, a farmer and Conservative councillor in Pembrokeshire, Wales, stated, “You’ll never see a farmer who wears £400 wellies, because we’re getting them covered in muck every day.” He added that people “are feeling quite insulted” by the display.
Andrew Court, a farmer from Staffordshire, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that Reed's choice of footwear was not suitable for farming. “They’re absolutely not the kind of wellies a farmer would wear… Anything above £100 is not really appropriate for farming, it’s for driving your Chelsea tractor, that sort of thing.”
The uproar over the wellies coincided with Reed's remarks made earlier this week before budget hearings. Speaking to The Guardian, he encouraged farmers and conservationists to “learn to do more with less,” attributing budget challenges to the UK being “among the most nature-depleted countries in the world.”
While the budget for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs remains unchanged, the government introduced a plan to impose an effective inheritance tax rate of 20% on business and agricultural assets valued over £1 million. Previously, farmland had been exempt from such taxes, and this new measure, expected to take effect in April 2026, has been widely interpreted as a threat to many family farms.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
