Met Police chief ‘frustrated’ at planned protest to support Palestine Action – as government moves to ban the group

Published

9 hours ago

June 23, 2025

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Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says he is “shocked and frustrated” at a planned protest in support of Palestine Action.

The demonstration, due to take place in Westminster later, comes as the government moves to ban the group under anti-terror laws.

Activists from Palestine Action hit the headlines last week after targeting RAF Brize Norton and damaging two military aircraft in a significant security breach.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will update MPs on the move to proscribe the organisation, which would make it a criminal offence to belong to or support it.

Sir Mark said that – until this happens – the force has “no power in law” to prevent the protest from taking place, but lawbreakers will be “dealt with robustly”.

He added: “This is an organised extremist criminal group, whose proscription as terrorists is being actively considered.

“Members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and last week claimed responsibility for breaking into an airbase and damaging aircraft.

“Multiple members of the group are awaiting trial accused of serious offences.”

He added that – while the right to protest is essential – “actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as a legitimate protest”.

Over the weekend, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he could not rule out the possibility of a foreign power being behind Palestine Action.

Any move to proscribe the group must be debated and approved by MPs and peers.

Speaking to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, former justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer suggested that vandalising aircraft would not solely provide legal justification for such a move.

Lord Falconer said: “I am not aware of what Palestine Action has done beyond the painting of things on the planes in Brize Norton, they may have done other things I didn’t know.

“But generally, that sort of demonstration wouldn’t justify proscription so there must be something else that I don’t know about.”

Palestine Action has staged a series of protests in recent months – spraying the offices of Allianz Insurance in London, and vandalising Donald Trump’s golf course in Ayrshire.

Politics

As stablecoin bill heads to House, Senate shifts to market structure

Published

35 mins ago

June 23, 2025

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As stablecoin bill heads to House, Senate shifts to market structure

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India wants 30% of your crypto gains, but that’s not the worst part

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2025

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Politics

National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families ‘gaslit’

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2025

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National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families 'gaslit'

A “rapid” national investigation into NHS maternity services has been launched by the government.

The announcement comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting met families who have lost babies and amid the ongoing investigations at some NHS trusts into maternity care failings.

The investigation in England is intended to provide truth to families suffering harm, as well as driving urgent improvements to care and safety, as part of efforts to ensure “no parent or baby is ever let down again”.

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The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) welcomed the government’s announcement and said maternity services were “at, or even beyond, breaking point”.

Last week, the NHS regulator said maternity and neonatal services at two Leeds hospitals had been rated inadequate over safety issues.

Mr Streeting, who was speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) conference in London, apologised on behalf of the NHS for what families had been through and said it was “clear something is going wrong”.

He added: “For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives.

“What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened.

“Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now.”

Mr Streeting said families have had to “fight for truth and justice” and had described being “ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated and damaged further by the inability for a trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong”.

Health secretary doesn’t want any deaths on his watch

This was a powerful speech from the health secretary who is clearly troubled by the scandalous state of maternity services in this country.

Wes Streeting has spent the past year meeting bereaved families who have been failed by the NHS.

He said he “was kept up at night” after listening to their harrowing testimonies.

Announcing a national investigation into NHS maternity services, this review is modelled on the Darzi report into the NHS, commissioned by the health secretary almost as soon as he came into office.

It will be “rapid”. The terms of reference for the investigation will be known by July. The actual report is expected to be published by Christmas.

Mr Streeting accepts this is an ambitious timeline but is driven by the fear that mothers and babies are still being failed and he does not want “any deaths on his watch”.

Read the full analysis here.

The investigation will consist of two parts.

The first will investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including Sussex, in the coming weeks to give affected families answers as quickly as possible, according to the Department of Health.

The second will be a “system-wide” look at maternity and neonatal care, uniting lessons from past inquiries to create one clear set of actions designed to improve NHS care.

A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will be chaired by Mr Streeting and made up of experts and bereaved families.

The investigation will begin this summer and report back by December.

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: “This rapid national investigation must mark a line in the sand for maternity care – setting out one set of clear actions for NHS leaders to ensure high quality care for all.”

Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the RCOG, said: “The maternity workforce is on its knees, with many now leaving the profession.”

RCM chief executive Gill Walton said: “Everyone involved in maternity services – the midwifery community, obstetricians, anaesthetists, sonographers and, of course, the women and families in their care – knows that maternity services are at, or even beyond, breaking point.

“This renewed focus and commitment by the health secretary to deliver change is welcome, and we will do everything we can to support him in doing so.”