The move, as the pound plunged to a record low against the euro and after another slide in house prices, prompted protests that the honour was premature and self-congratulatory.

Fuel tax hikes prompted protests by farmers and lorry drivers, whose worries were made worse by the oil price hitting a 10-year high of $35 a barrel.

The badger cull, introduced in 2013 in two pilot areas, has prompted protests from animal rights campaigners.

Regarded as a power play for control over a key labor sector, introduction of the proposed law prompted protests and rallies throughout the capital.

The demolition was performed to make room for a sprawling new corporate campus and headquarters, and prompted protests and lawsuits from historic preservationists.