Written question asked by Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party) on Thursday, 27 November 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 December 2025. It was answered by Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour) on Friday, 19 December 2025 on behalf of the Home Office.
Demonstrations: Whitehall
- Question
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To ask His Majesty's Government what direction they gave to police, if any, about the decision to ban tractors from entering Whitehall on 26 November.
- Answer
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The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental tool of civic expression and will not be curtailed by this Government. However, these rights are not absolute and must be balanced with the rights and freedoms of others.
The management of demonstrations are an operational matter for the police. It is not for Government to direct the police in how they should manage protest activity. The police must enforce the law without fear nor favour and assess each protest and the potential disruption it may cause on its own merits.
The Home Office does not hold confirmed data on the number of arrests made or vehicles seized.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- HL12403
- Session
- 2024-26
- Grouped for answer
- Yes
- Subjects
- Demonstrations Whitehall Tractors
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2025-12-19 11:56:20 +0000
- URI
- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/lords/2024-26/HL12403
- In Indexing
- http://indexing.parliament.uk/Content/Edit/1?uri=http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/lords/2024-26/HL12403
- In Solr
- https://search.parliament.uk/claw/solr/?id=http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/lords/2024-26/HL12403