John Redwood (Wokingham) (Conservative):
I am grateful for what my right hon. and learned Friend is seeking to do. Can she confirm that there could, indeed, be cases in which protesters stop one getting to hospital for an emergency operation or procedure, or stop a woman who is about to give birth from getting to hospital in a hurry, and that they are risking people’s lives?
Suella Braverman, Secretary of State for the Home Office:
Their tactics are dangerous. They are putting people’s lives at risk by stopping ambulances getting to emergencies and stopping people getting to hospital appointments. They are stopping people getting to work, school and funerals. The instances are infinite, and the disruption must stop.
June 15, 2023
We ought to rejoice that Suella has recognized a problem. Let us hope her “must stop” has more force behind it than her oft professed desire that the small boats also must stop.
June 15, 2023
People’s medical needs are of higher importance than protesters’ gripes. Misguided protesters risk destroying innocent folks’ lives while claiming to protect them from the heat of some perceived fire.
June 15, 2023
Home Secretary, uttering the words ‘the disruption must stop’ is just not good enough.
The police already have the powers to keep the King’s highway open, instruct them to do so at once.
These infantile road blockers know the most they will get is a fine or a slap on the wrist, ensure there is a minimum of 6 months inside with no ‘get-out’ clause and the problem will be solved.
June 15, 2023
Is the site now clear ?.
June 15, 2023
Is the site now clear ?. Something that goes wrong can normally be fixed and that now seems to be the case . The Home Secretary is right to give the Police all the powers necessary to keep the roads and thoroughfares clear of protesters . Minorities have the right to be heard but there has to be a limit to what they can do .
June 15, 2023
This will not be an easy one to solve as I was castigated by the authorities, police and organisations such as Mind and Sense a few years ago when I criticised a man who held traffic up on the M42 for a weekend while I was an Independent Councillor on Solihull Borough Council. I had a vicious campaign against me by local politicians and others for standing up for people, one trying to get through to a dying Father and a 2 month old baby another. These people were left all weekend without food, drink, toilets and given no updates by police who were in short supply. I am glad to say I got as much praise for the stance I took as criticism but it really shook me at the time. This was no more than 10 years ago so it is not a new phenomena. I wish anyone who is trying to stand up to these thugs well.
June 15, 2023
just get the Woke police to do their job instead of hassling iniocent citizens who take their own action against these imbeciles. The police are a joke but unfortunately lt is ALL part of the Globalist plan for CONTROL.
June 15, 2023
Dear Mr. Redwood,
“Their tactics are dangerous…..The disruption must stop” says the Home Secretary.
Yet again, we see the gaping chasm between what this government says and what it does. It resorts to passing ever more laws as a substitute for action and the police then fail to use these powers to help citizens caught up in the chaos.
It has just passed yet another law and the Home Secretary has urged the police to take more “robust and swifter” action against Just Stop Oil protesters now that they had the “full armoury of legal tools” following a change in the law approved just today (Wednesday 14/06) by the House of Lords. Note the language used – “urged the police” not demanded or instructed!
The Prime Minister likes to say the government is getting on with the priorities of the British people. Well, one of the public’s priorities is just to be able to get on and go about their business. It’s bad enough for people who are trying to make a living in the present climate without this impotent government adding to their woes.