MPs back crackdown on slow-walk protests amid warnings over ‘fascism’

Published

2 years ago

June 12, 2023

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MPs have approved new powers for police to crack down on slow-walking protests amid warnings the government is veering toward “fascism”.

The House of Commons voted in favour of measures to lower the threshold for what is considered “serious disruption” by 277 to 217, a majority of 60.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the changes “provide the police with the powers to impose conditions on harmful protests” and “provide further clarity” on when they can act to shut down demonstrations.

But Labour MP Richard Burgon branded the move an “authoritarian clampdown” while SNP cabinet member Alison Thewliss said the government is “slow walking” the Commons towards “fascism”.

The action comes against the backdrop of protests by environmental groups like Just Stop Oil (JSO), Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion.

The government says their tactics, such as blocking roads, slow marching and gluing themselves to objects, are costing the taxpayer millions and diverting police attention from serious crime.

Ms Braverman told MPs: “Over the last six weeks alone, Just Stop Oil (JSO) carried out 156 slow marches around London.

“This has required over 13,770 police officer shifts, that’s over 13,000 police shifts that could have been stopping robbery, violent crime or anti-social behaviour, and the cost to the taxpayer is an outrage – £4.5 million in just six weeks on top of the £14 million spent last year.”

She added that “In some cases, the protests have aggravated the public so much that they’ve taken matters into their own hands”.

“They’ve lost their patience, the police must be able to stop this happening and it’s our job in government to give them the powers to do so.”

Police already have the power to clamp down on protests that are likely to cause “serious disruption to the life of the community”.

The controversial Public Order Act, passed just before the King’s coronation in May, introduced new offences for “locking on” or being equipped to do so, as well as for tunnelling and obstructing transport works.

The changes the government want to introduce would lower the threshold of what counts as serious disruption from “significant” and “prolonged” to “more than minor”.

The new regulations would also cover the cumulative impact of repeated protests while the definition of “community” would be broadened to any citizens who might be affected, rather than only those who live or work in the vicinity.

The proposals came in for heavy criticism from the main opposition parties.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said there are already laws to deal with slow walk road protests.

She said: “This is not about the seriously disruptive Just Stop Oil protests which are rightly already against the law.

“Instead, what it is doing is giving the police the power to prevent any and every campaign group protesting outside a local library or swimming pool that is about to be closed because it may be a little more than minor.

“This makes it harder for law-abiding, peaceful campaigners who want to work with the police to organise a limited protest – something we should all want people to do.”

For the SNP, Alison Thewliss said: “It seems to me that the only slow walking that we should be concerned about in this place is the slow walking that this Government is taking this House in towards a state of lack of democracy and of fascism.”

And Green Party MP Caroline Lucas described the regulations as “oppressive, anti-democratic and downright wrong”.

But DUP MP Sammy Wilson said it was “exaggerated” to describe the changes as fascism.

He said: “This is not fascism. This is about the Government having to make a decision as to what do we do to allow in a democracy people to make their point – maybe you don’t like the point they’re making – and on the other hand stop those who are impacted by it being impacted, where the protesters have made it quite clear that’s what their main aim is anyway.”

The House of Lords will vote on the changes on Tuesday.

Peers previously voted down the measures after the government attempted to add them to the Public Order Bill in February.

They have been brought back to parliament as regulations – something by convention the House of Lords does not usually vote against.

The move has been criticised by the upper chamber.

Labour peer Lord Coaker said the government has not addressed concerns raised about the proposals, while the Green Party’s Barones Jones has put down a “fatal motion” to block the changes.

UK

Body found in search for missing jogger Jenny Hall

Published

3 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Body found in search for missing jogger Jenny Hall

A body has been found in the search for 23-year-old runner Jenny Hall.

She was last seen leaving her home in Barracks Farm, County Durham, in her car just after 3pm on Tuesday.

Police said there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances after a body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale on Sunday morning, five days after she went missing.

“We’re sorry to report that officers searching for missing woman Jenny Hall, have sadly found a body,” Durham Constabulary said in a statement.

“Officers carried out an extensive search alongside specialist partners and have been working around-the-clock to locate Jenny after she went missing on February 18.

“The body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale just after 9.30am today.

“Formal identification has yet to take place. Jenny’s family have been notified and are currently being supported by specialist officers. They have asked for privacy at this devasting time.

“It is not believed there are any suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

A major police search was launched after Ms Hall’s disappearance.

Her car, a red Ford Focus, was found on Wednesday parked on the B6278, near remote moorland between Eggleston and Stanhope.

Mountain rescue teams, specialist drones and sniffer dogs had been combing the Hamsterley Forest and the surrounding areas, where there are a number of running trails, this week.

Digital intelligence officers also carried out extensive inquiries into Ms Hall’s mobile phone, smart watch and running apps.

UK

Fresh amber warning for rain as Met Office issues alerts for much of UK

Published

3 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Fresh amber warning for rain as Met Office issues alerts for much of UK

A fresh amber weather warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office – with much of the UK already on alert for high winds and showers.

Northern Ireland, Scotland and the UK’s west coast and the Midlands have yellow warnings for wind on Sunday – meaning the possibility of transport delays and short-term power cuts.

There are also rain warnings in place for several parts of western UK.

The new amber warning has been issued for rain in south and central Wales and is in force from 3pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday.

An amber warning means danger to life from floodwater, homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, and there is a chance some communities will be cut off.

Winds across the west of the UK will increase throughout the morning with gusts up to 70mph in exposed areas, the Met Office said.

Zoe Hutin, a meteorologist at the forecaster, said Sunday is expected to be the “worst day” before conditions improve.

“The wind warning itself for the mainland UK ends at 6pm, but we can expect to continue to see quite blustery conditions even into the evening as the mainland rain itself pushes through.”

She added: “By the time people get up on Monday, we’ll still have some of the residual rain from that front in the far south-east of the country, and quite cloudy across England as well.

“But actually elsewhere, it could be a decent start.”

The Met Office’s yellow weather warnings for much of England and Scotland came into force at 6am and are expected to run until 6pm on Sunday.

A separate yellow warning for Northern Ireland came into force at 3am and runs until 3pm.

People who have noticed some slightly higher temperatures the last couple of days may be dismayed at the latest predictions.

“Through the week, those temperatures are trending back down,” Ms Hutin said.

“And so it will be getting cooler each day, but they will actually just be recovering to around average for the time of year. So it won’t be cold.

“It will just be returning back to where we would expect to be for this time of February.”

UK

Starmer says ‘US is right’ about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Published

3 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Starmer says 'US is right' about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Sir Keir Starmer has said the United States “is right” about the UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence and security.

The prime minister, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, said he is clear Britain “will take a leading responsibility” in protecting the continent.

“Instability in Europe always washes up on our shores,” he said.

“And this is a generational moment. I’ve been saying for some time that we Europeans – including the United Kingdom – have to do more for our defence and security. The US is right about that.”

He added “we can’t cling to the comforts of the past” as it is “time to take responsibility for our security”.

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Donald Trump sparked an emergency meeting of European leaders this week after he said European NATO members should spend more on defence, while the US should spend less.

Sir Keir has said he will set out a path for the UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, up from the current 2.3%, but has not indicated when that will be.

It is believed he may announce the details when he visits Mr Trump in Washington DC on Thursday, bringing forward the announcement that was expected in the spring when a defence spending review is published.

The prime minister reiterated the UK will “play our role” if required in Ukraine following a peace agreement after he earlier this week said the UK would send troops to be part of a peacekeeping force.

However, his comments caused a row with Germany and Italy who said it was premature to commit to boots on the ground, although France agreed with the UK.

Sir Keir said: “As we enter a new phase in this conflict, we must now deepen our solidarity even further.”

He added: “There can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine.

“And the people of Ukraine must have long-term security.”

This week has seen US officials meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine – which has been met with indignation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as none of his team were invited.

No Europeans were invited either, sparking concern the US is pandering to Vladimir Putin.

Sir Keir has promised Mr Zelenskyy he will make the case for safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty when he meets with Mr Trump, who has called the Ukrainian president a dictator.

Mr Trump also said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who will visit the White House too this week, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.