How online groups plot confrontations with MPs over COVID rules

Published

3 years ago

October 21, 2021

admin

Anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown protesters are organising themselves online to confront MPs in person, Sky News has found.

One online group is going after politicians because of their “evil actions” – and shares tips on how to find constituency offices and MP’s homes.

Photos and videos of members and other like-minded protesters approaching politicians or their offices are being widely shared on the messaging app Telegram. One video shows an MP revealing he was forced to call the police after his home was targeted by anti-vaxxers.

It comes as concerns around MPs’ safety have risen following the killing of Sir David Amess. The death of the MP for Southend West is being treated as terrorism related and is not thought to be linked to the anti-vax or anti-lockdown movements.

This week, Michael Gove was escorted by police officers after being surrounded by anti-vaccine protesters, while MPs have spoken out about receiving threats and harassment.

At least six groups discussing how to locate and confront MPs were found on Telegram during an investigation by the Sky News Data and Forensics team.

One such group that encourages members to speak in person with MPs and protest outside their offices and homes was set up five months ago. It has already built up around 2,350 members across the UK.

The Telegram channel’s description says the group is a “community outreach movement to make people aware of their MPs evil actions and to target their political seat under pressure or alternatively, replace.”

They say their intention is to confront MPs in a non-violent way.

They want to convince them of what they believe are the dangers of the coronavirus vaccine. They also seek to prevent any further COVID-related restrictions impacting the UK, in particular lockdowns and vaccine passports.

New users are encouraged to share where they live in the UK and who their local member of parliament is. More than 100 MPs across the country are named – including Sir David.

There are frequent requests for help finding the offices and homes of politicians appearing in the chat.

One such message reads: “How do I find out where Oliver Heald MP lives?!!!”

New users are directed to a publicly accessible business directory where they claim some MPs’ addresses can be found.

Some users who join are enthusiastic but do not know who their MP is.

One user writes: “From Wakefield! Sorry don’t know who is our MP all these idiots are the sane just tell where to go and stand at 2pm please”

One of the MPs the group managed to find and speak to is Chris Heaton-Harris, who represents Daventry.

An hour-long video of around 30 people surrounding the Conservative minister was uploaded on 2 October. The MP has one female aide with him.

The conversation with the crowd has moments where voices are raised against the MP, but is largely calm.

One moment of tension happens after Mr Heaton-Harris refuses to say he would not rule out voting for vaccine passports.

The MP then describes to the group how a person or people attempted to put a large number of stickers protesting against vaccine passports on his house. However, the protesters mistook the MP’s house for his neighbour’s.

“For the first time since I was elected in 2010, that was the first time someone has tried to physically intimidate me to do something,” he tells the group.

He adds: “It’s the first time I’ve ever had to call the police in my time as an MP.”

One member of the crowd responds: “It’s hardly murder.”

At the end of the meeting, Mr Heaton-Harris encourages the group to ask questions of him as their MP, but asks them to try to dissuade others from approaching his family home.

Other MPs confronted in person by the group include Labour’s Anneliese Dodds as she walked alone to her party’s conference. She is described in the Telegram group as “treasonous”.

Labour’s John McDonnell and Lisa Nandy are also confronted.

Despite many in the group emphasising the need to keep protests peaceful, some advocate for violence and intimidation.

One user writes: “At this point I feel like ANY kind of disruption is a good thing. We have had peaceful protests for over a year and achieved nothing! I don’t agree with out right abusing people, but the fight is coming Weber you peaceful or not n I want to do my part”.

Accusations and offensive insults are thrown at MPs, from claims of accepting bribes and corruption to calling them “traitorous”.

One user posted a link to an article about how Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab shared that he had received violent threats. The user writes: “Scare the MPs so they vote to extend special measures and vote on the security bill.”

The group discussed the death of Sir David on 15 October.

“Someone killed an MP today, probably they’re all really scared now,” one user writes.

Several conspiracies about the killing are also shared in the group.

A group member writes: “Seems a bit suspicious, now they’re talking about special protection for MPs. Quite a coincidence.”

To which another member replies: “Excalty.. that why we need to serve them all and fast.”

Partially scuppered by many MPs and their staff working from home, the group have continued to turn up at constituency offices in the hope they may run into their local representative.

In early June, the first photo showing a small group of protesters outside an MP’s office was shared in the chat. It was the office of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in north London.

The poster wrote: “A picture outside MP Kier Starmers office when a few of us first arrived. We got a great community reception, if we stay persistent they will all know we are there every week! Not a bad start!!”

They added: “The police were good to us too as long as we don’t storm the office, leave rubbish behind, put stickers on it and are peaceful… it’s our democratic right.”

Another user shared a selfie in front of a Scottish MP’s office in Glasgow, while others wrote messages claiming to have gone to other offices.

The most recent photo was shared on 15 October.

This picture showed two people holding up a “No to COVID passports” banner with the office for Lee Rowley, MP for North East Derbyshire, clearly visible in the background.

As well as attempting to confront MPs in person, the group also write to their MPs and create leaflets to encourage others to join them.

The group has created local groups, as well as operating alongside other Telegram channels which also encourage people to physically approach MPs.

Videos showing confrontations with MPs – including with the Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg – are shared in these Telegram groups.

The person filming questions MPs about coronavirus conspiracy theories involving Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab, the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.

Many of these videos are uploaded to a video hosting site popular with the anti-vaccine community.

Videos shared in the groups or on the video site show MPs Lee Anderson, Chris Grayling and Sir Desmond Swayne also being targeted, as well as the Prime Minister’s father Stanley Johnson. These videos appear to be filmed during the Conservative Party conference.

David Lammy and Angela Rayner are accosted over vaccines at the Labour party conference. Other similar videos feature Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.

A number of different videos of Michael Gove being harassed in Westminster this week are also on the site.

The videos are uploaded with comments such as “Throw him to the lions! String him up!”

One comment makes a direct reference to the killing of Sir David, saying: “Whers the boogyman terrorsit now to stab up c***s like GOVE, how they have the brass face to walk the streets is beyond me.”

One short clip of Matt Hancock running in a marathon is also shared on the video site. It is uploaded with the caption: “WHERES THE GUY WITH THE GUN, ARRRRR DAM.”

The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

Why data journalism matters to Sky News

Politics

Parliament urged to begin mandatory DBS criminal record checks on new MPs and peers

Published

6 hours ago

January 4, 2025

admin

Parliament urged to begin mandatory DBS criminal record checks on new MPs and peers

MPs and peers could be forced to submit to criminal record checks under proposals submitted by a new Labour MP.

In a letter seen by Sky News, Jo White urged the leader of the Commons to examine whether a new committee set up to modernise parliament should force all new members to have checks due to their access to young and vulnerable people.

She suggests in-depth background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service – commonly known as DBS checks – as the initial stages of introducing MPs to parliament.

Candidates are currently banned from running to be an MP if they have been jailed for more than a year in the UK.

However, there is no requirement for DBS checks, something most other jobs require when applying for positions working with vulnerable people.

Ms White previously submitted an early-day motion on this issue, with cross-party signatures including 13 other Labour MPs supporting her motion.

In her letter to the committee, the Bassetlaw MP writes: “It is a privilege that, as parliamentarians, we can work with local schools, care homes and hospitals, but we must be proactive in preserving this trust.

“Implementing a mandatory check would protect both the people we visit and ourselves. It would be key to maintaining public trust and high workplace standards across the estate and in our constituencies.”

DBS checks are standard practices for GPs, nurses, teachers and other professions. They let potential employers know if a candidate has a criminal record or is banned from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Many local authorities already run DBS checks on elected officials but it’s not standard practice in parliament.

Prospective MPs can stand for election despite having a criminal record or appearing on the child-barred list or adult-barred list unless they have served a prison term over 12 months.

In fact, they do not need to disclose any criminal behaviour to the public prior to becoming a candidate.

The main vetting process before entering the House of Commons is done through political parties, who set their own rules for carrying out any such checks.

None of the Reform UK MPs have signed the early-day motion and leader Nigel Farage said last election there was “no vetting” of candidates.

This has already caused some controversy.

One Reform MP, James McMurdock, was jailed 19 years ago for repeatedly kicking his then girlfriend, according to court documents disclosed by The Times.

The South Basildon and East Thurrock MP attacked her in 2006 while drunk outside a nightclub and spent 21 days in a young offenders’ institution.

He had not publicly disclosed the conviction and described it as a “teenage indiscretion” when asked about the incident last year.

Under new rules, new MPs might have to fully disclose their criminal past.

The creation of a modernisation committee was a Labour manifesto promise and now sits as a cross-party group tasked with reforming House of Commons procedures and improving standards.

The committee said it would not be commenting on submissions until it’s had time to fully consider all options, but is due to publish an initial report early this year.

Politics

Nigel Farage rejects Tommy Robinson after support from Elon Musk

Published

6 hours ago

January 4, 2025

admin

Nigel Farage rejects Tommy Robinson after support from Elon Musk

Nigel Farage has said Tommy Robinson “won’t be” joining Reform UK after Elon Musk showed support for the jailed far-right activist on social media.

The billionaire owner of X, who has spoken positively about Reform UK and is reportedly considering making a donation to the party, has been critical of the government’s handling of child sexual exploitation across a number of towns and cities more than a decade ago.

While the Reform UK leader described the billionaire owner of X as “an absolute hero figure, particularly to young people in this country”, he distanced himself and his party from Robinson, who is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

Mr Musk endorsed the far-right activist and claimed Robinson was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.

Speaking to broadcasters ahead of the start of Reform UK’s East Midlands Conference tonight, party leader Mr Farage did not directly address Mr Musk’s comments, but said: “He has a whole range of opinions, some of which I agree with very strongly, and others of which I’m more reticent about.”

He went on to say that having Mr Musk’s support is “very helpful to our cause”, describing him as “an absolute hero figure, particularly to young people in this country”.

He continued: “Everyone says, well, what about his comments on Tommy Robinson? Look, my position is perfectly clear on that. I never wanted Tommy Robinson to join UKIP, I don’t want him to join Reform UK, and he won’t be.”

Later on GB News, Mr Farage added that Mr Musk “sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs”.

“But of course the truth is Tommy Robinson’s in prison not for that, but for contempt of court,” he said.

Mr Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”

How did Elon Musk become involved?

The online campaign from Mr Musk began after it emerged that Home Office minister Jess Phillips had denied requests from Oldham Council to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough, as the Conservatives had done in 2022.

In a letter to the authority in Greater Manchester, Ms Phillips said she believes it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the government to intervene”.

An Oldham Council spokesman previously said: “Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.”

Mr Musk posted on X multiple times about the scandal, and claimed Sir Keir Starmer had failed to bring “rape gangs” to justice when he led the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In 2013, Sir Keir introduced new guidelines for how child sexual abuse victims should be treated and how a case should be built and presented in court.

The SpaceX and Tesla boss also endorsed posts about Robinson.

Robinson, who is 42 years old and whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted at Woolwich Crown Court in October to breaching an injunction banning him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee schoolboy, after he was successfully sued for libel in 2021.