Quick answer: On Monday 5 October 2026, Jeremy Clarkson made a surprise appearance at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. He told delegates that farming had suffered a “terrible” year and that farmers face pressure from taxes, energy costs and wars abroad. He also asked why anyone would start a business in Britain right now.
- Clarkson appeared on day two of the conference at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham.
- He was on stage with shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins and his land agent and Clarkson’s Farm co-star, Charlie Ireland.
- He blamed the hot weather, costs, taxes and global conflict for the squeeze on farmers.
- He joked that he is considering opening a pub, but not in the UK.
- Commentators disagree on whether his backing helps Kemi Badenoch’s party or only highlights its problems.
What Happened On Stage
Clarkson’s appearance was billed as a surprise. JOE described it as an unscheduled turn, and the LBC report used the same framing. The New Statesman reported that it took place in the main hall on Monday afternoon, with Atkins. According to PA coverage, she introduced him, and the session was a question-and-answer format with Ireland.
Asked about his year on the farm, Clarkson said the harvest left him with “three ounces of hen food”. This is a joke about a failed year, not a literal figure. Taken at face value, as some write-ups do, it would be misleading. He added that farming is “very, very difficult” at the moment.
He also said he is cushioned by other income, including television work and newspaper columns, which ordinary farmers don’t have. LBC reported that conditions on his Diddly Squat farm in Oxfordshire had been hard because of the hot weather.
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Why Would Anybody Set Up a Business In This Country?
The line that drew the most coverage came when Clarkson said he is looking into opening another pub, in addition to The Farmer’s Dog near his farm. It would not be in the UK, he said, and he asked: “Why would anybody set up a business in this country right now?”
The remark was partly a joke, but it carried a political point aimed at the Labour government. As LBC and JOE reported, he said farmers are being hit from every direction. He listed the wars in Ukraine and Iran, taxes and energy costs, and called the pressure “relentless”.
He also poked fun at the sparse audience around the edges of the hall, saying a lot of people had “come dressed as seats”.
The Labour MP, The Labradors and The lager
Clarkson also took a swipe at a recent row. PA reported that Labour MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter had said at a Labour conference fringe event that the Britain of country pubs and black Labradors is a nostalgic memory, and that she feared the far right would define the vision of rural areas. Clarkson joked that his two fox red Labradors and his taste for lager made him a socialist.
Why Farmers Are At The Centre of This
Clarkson’s link to the farming fight is well documented. JOE and LBC both report that he was a prominent voice in the campaign against Labour’s plan to apply inheritance tax to family farms. Rachel Reeves announced the policy in Labour’s first budget. LBC reports that the plans were watered down in December 2025, after a campaign by farmers and pressure from some of Labour’s rural MPs, many of them first elected in 2024.
He is also close to the Conservative establishment. LBC notes his friendship with former prime minister David Cameron, who lives near him in the Cotswolds. The New Statesman adds that he has appeared with Badenoch before to campaign against the government’s inheritance tax changes.
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Does Clarkson Help The Conservatives?
The New Statesman’s Ethan Croft frames this as an open question, and his own answer is no. His piece argues that Clarkson is “a symptom of the party’s malaise, not its cure”.
The optimistic reading. A famous, popular figure with real standing among farmers is backing the party on its home turf. Croft notes that supporters would call it evidence of a “Kemi bounce” and a sign the party is rebuilding a social base.
The sceptical reading. Croft argues that Clarkson is a wealthy media figure who already sits within Badenoch’s circle of supportive commentators. He suggests the endorsement shows how narrow the party’s support has become, and he compares the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats of the British right.
The wider shift. Croft also points out that celebrity endorsements matter less than they used to. Political leaders now build their own audiences on social media, and he cites Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Nigel Farage as examples. Reform UK’s conference in September featured Jeremy Kyle.
The Political Backdrop
The Conservatives arrived in Birmingham trailing in the polls. A Getty Images caption published with the JOE article gives voting intention as Labour at 27.1%, Reform UK at 23.3% and the Conservatives at 19.3%, which leaves them in third place. The caption doesn’t name a polling company, so treat these as indicative rather than definitive.
What To Watch Next
Clarkson says he is optimistic about the future, according to the PA report. Whether his appearance turns into anything lasting is unclear. No source reports a formal role or candidacy, and he has no official position with the party. For now, the visit offered a memorable few minutes on stage and a reminder that farming policy is still a live political issue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Jeremy Clarkson speak at the Conservative conference?
On Monday 5 October 2026, day two of the conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.
Who was on stage with him?
Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins and his land agent Charlie Ireland.
What did he say about farming?
He called it a “terrible” year, blamed weather, taxes, energy costs and wars, and said ordinary farmers lack the other income streams he has.
Is Jeremy Clarkson a Conservative member or candidate?
None of the sources reports that he holds party membership or a candidacy. They describe him as a long-standing supporter and campaigner on farm inheritance tax.
Is Clarkson really opening a pub abroad?
He said he is looking “quite hard” into it. It was delivered as a joke about UK business conditions, and no source confirms a plan.
Sources & References
- New Statesman: Ethan Croft, “Can Jeremy Clarkson save the Conservative Party?”
- LBC: “‘Why would anybody set up a business right now?’ Jeremy Clarkson blasts Labour at Conservative conference”
- JOE: Christian Buschardt, “Jeremy Clarkson says farming had a ‘terrible’ year at Tory conference”
- Press Association via Yahoo News UK: Harry Taylor and Will Meakin-Durrant, “Clarkson tells Tory conference farmers being attacked ‘from everywhere'”
