Farmers from across the UK are facing fury after the Metropolitan Police imposed a last-minute ban on their planned tractor protest for Budget day, a move organisers have labelled as two-tier policing.
Last-Minute Ban Sparks Outrage
The demonstration, orchestrated by Berkshire Farmers but involving agricultural workers from every corner of the country, was intended to be a significant show of force against the government's plan to end inheritance tax relief for family farms. Organisers had envisioned one of the most striking rural demonstrations in years, with hundreds of tractors converging on Whitehall.
However, at the eleventh hour, the Metropolitan Police restricted the protest to a small, designated area and explicitly banned the use of tractors and other agricultural vehicles. The police justification was that the tractor convoy could result in serious disruption to the life of the community, impacting businesses, emergency services, and Londoners.
Accusations of Inconsistent Policing
The decision was met with immediate anger and accusations of unfair treatment. One farmer pointed out the peaceful nature of previous events, stating, The event had permission and all previous events have been peaceful, tidy and with no arrests. He directly questioned whether the ban was two-tier policing to avoid embarrassment to (Rachel) Reeves on budget day.
This sentiment was powerfully echoed by Jonathan Charlesworth, a Yorkshire farmer, whose personal tragedy is intertwined with the policy. His 78-year-old father, John, took his own life the day before the budget last October 29th after hearing rumours of the planned tax changes. Mr Charlesworth said, I don't believe any of the reasons given to cancel the tractor convoy have a basis, contrasting the decision with the permission granted for other large-scale marches. It screams two-tier policing, he concluded, to protect the government from further adverse publicity.
Political and Public Backlash
The backlash extended to political figures. Tory MP Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense group, expressed his disbelief, stating, It seems bizarre that they allow so many demonstrations to go ahead by the most bizarre, extreme groups yet we can’t allow the farmers who feed the nation.
Clive Bailye from The Farming Forum, who organised the first tractor protest on this issue, reinforced the feeling of inconsistency, noting that the Met had previously found farmers a pleasure to work with. He revealed that organisers were assured the protest could proceed, only to be told of the ban at 2.30pm the day before.
In their defence, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson reiterated that while people could still demonstrate, the condition against vehicles was imposed due to the serious disruption they may cause. The protest will now be a significantly scaled-back event on a day already charged with political tension.
