Asked how the Prime Minister viewed today's eviction, David Cameron's official spokesman said: "This is obviously a matter for the local council and for the police and we wouldn't want to comment on the operation.

"On the basic case, he was very clear at Prime Minister's Questions last week that the British courts have found that the development at Dale Farm is illegal. There has been an unprecedented level of unauthorised development on green belt land that's resulted in years of negotiation at significant cost to the taxpayer.

"As he said at PMQs, everybody in this country has to obey the law, including the law on planning permission."