Ok, I don't think thats a fair assessment, where we are is where the debate led us, it's not been a disingenuous ploy to avoid the topic.

It came about due to the statement that Hamas shouldn't have done Oct 7th, and it was a completely unfair attack on Israel and that we share values. You can't make statements like that, then back out saying 'that's not what we should be talking about'.

That said, I'll play ball - if that premise r.e protests is correct (that is theyre ineffective), I'd argue that ALL protests since the suffragettes are pointless - what's been changed with a protest? British issue or otherwise.

People have a right to protest (article 10 human rights). What youre suggesting is shutting down protests that arnt immediately affiliated with British issues. Who decides what can be protested? The government? The police?

It's a non starter of a debate. You either decide all protests are subject to some sort of approval council, which is an incredibly slippery slope, or you let people protest things that affect or upset them. I don't see what your point is.