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Civil Liberties

Asked by Pippa HeylingsLiberal DemocratHome OfficeTabled Answered 15 September 2025UIN 905667

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect civil liberties.

Answered by Shabana Mahmood

The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to UK democracy but must be balanced with the need to maintain public safety.

To achieve this, public order legislation has been developed that both safeguards freedoms of expression and assembly and upholds the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights

Ultimately, operational decisions lie with the police, who are required to act lawfully and proportionately at all times.

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