EXCLUSIVE: The Met Police have been accused of “two-tier policing” after halting a protest by farmers objecting to the Family Farm Tax.
The protest was pulled at the 11th hour. (Image: Getty)
Farmers have accused Scotland Yard of “two tier” policing after the force suddenly halted a protest planned for Budget day.
Organisers of Wednesday’s mass demonstration have spent months planning the peaceful protest only for the action to be “reduced to a pavement” on Tuesday.
It is understood the decision came from “someone very high up” and blindsided organisers.
An organiser accused the Met of “two-tier policing” and said the cancellation was a “PR disaster” for the Force.
One attendee told the Express that farmers have already begun descending on the capital from across the United Kingdom.
Clive Bailye, a farmer who had planned to attend said it was “extremely disappointing” that the Met had taken the action. He added that farmers had “been denied their right to protest and reiterate the fatal damage Rachel Reeves‘ Family Farm Tax is causing to an entire industry and the rural economy”.
He added that it seems like “two-tier policing by the met and very politically motivated”.
It is understood that the event had been planned for weeks, and that organisers had worked extremely closely with Met officials to ensure it could go ahead.
Hundreds of farmers had been planning to attend the protest, which would have been the latest in a string of events in central London that had objected to the Family Farm Tax.
The Family Farm Tax is a proposed change to inheritance taxation, which would lift the exception on agricultural land and force thousands of farming families to pay large tax bills on the event of the inheriting their parents farms
The Daily Express launched its ‘Stop the Family Farm Tax’ campaign to object to the move, and has heard many stories of families dreading the proposed tax.
An attendee pointed out that previous protests have been peaceful, with farmers tidying up after themselves, and even leaving food for London’s rough sleepers.
The Met Police said: “We have had a number of conversations with the protest organisers to safely manage the event.
While people will still be able to demonstrate, conditions have been put in place to prevent protesters from bringing vehicles, including tractors or other agricultural vehicles to the protest. This decision was taken due to the serious disruption they may cause to the local area, including businesses, emergency services and Londoners going about their day.
“Any person taking part in the farmers protest must remain in Richmond Terrace.”
