UK Minister's $550 Wellington Boots Spark Outrage Among Farmers – Reports
Britain’s Environment Secretary faced backlash for choosing rain boots priced at nearly $550 for a visit to a rural area. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Farmers across Britain expressed their frustration over Environment Secretary Steve Reed's choice of footwear during a recent rural engagement.
The UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has been criticized after being photographed in £420 rubber boots alongside former National Farmers' Union president Minette Batters. These Le Chameau wellies are described by the manufacturer as exclusive hand-crafted footwear featuring a “premium leather lining” and a leather insole, available in the “iconic green” color.
Reports indicate that the wellies may not have been purchased by Reed but were gifted to him by Lord Waheed Alli, a significant Labour donor and one of Le Chameau's directors. At the time they were likely donated, the boots cost £270, just under the £300 threshold that would require registration among members' interests.
This fashion choice has sparked outrage among British farmers. Aled Thomas, a farmer and Conservative councillor from Pembrokeshire, criticized the minister, stating, “You’ll never see a farmer who wears £400 wellies, because we’re getting them covered in muck every day.” He added that many in the farming community “are feeling quite insulted” by the display.
Andrew Court, a farmer from Staffordshire, pointed out that Reed's attempts to connect with farmers through such luxury wellies have clearly missed the mark. “They’re absolutely not the kind of wellies a farmer would wear,” he noted, adding, “Anything above £100 is not really appropriate for farming, it’s for driving your Chelsea tractor, that sort of thing.”
The controversy surrounding the wellies was compounded by Reed's earlier remarks ahead of budget hearings. In an interview with The Guardian, he urged 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.”
Although the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs budget has remained flat, the government announced a plan to impose inheritance tax at an effective rate of 20% on business and agricultural assets valued over £1 million. This marks a significant shift, as farmlands were previously exempt from such taxes, and the change, set to take effect in April 2026, is expected to threaten the viability of many family farms.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
The UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has been criticized after being photographed in £420 rubber boots alongside former National Farmers' Union president Minette Batters. These Le Chameau wellies are described by the manufacturer as exclusive hand-crafted footwear featuring a “premium leather lining” and a leather insole, available in the “iconic green” color.
Reports indicate that the wellies may not have been purchased by Reed but were gifted to him by Lord Waheed Alli, a significant Labour donor and one of Le Chameau's directors. At the time they were likely donated, the boots cost £270, just under the £300 threshold that would require registration among members' interests.
This fashion choice has sparked outrage among British farmers. Aled Thomas, a farmer and Conservative councillor from Pembrokeshire, criticized the minister, stating, “You’ll never see a farmer who wears £400 wellies, because we’re getting them covered in muck every day.” He added that many in the farming community “are feeling quite insulted” by the display.
Andrew Court, a farmer from Staffordshire, pointed out that Reed's attempts to connect with farmers through such luxury wellies have clearly missed the mark. “They’re absolutely not the kind of wellies a farmer would wear,” he noted, adding, “Anything above £100 is not really appropriate for farming, it’s for driving your Chelsea tractor, that sort of thing.”
The controversy surrounding the wellies was compounded by Reed's earlier remarks ahead of budget hearings. In an interview with The Guardian, he urged 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.”
Although the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs budget has remained flat, the government announced a plan to impose inheritance tax at an effective rate of 20% on business and agricultural assets valued over £1 million. This marks a significant shift, as farmlands were previously exempt from such taxes, and the change, set to take effect in April 2026, is expected to threaten the viability of many family farms.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
