Big Sticks and Small Carrots

Good News!

Really.

Back in January, I wrote about the government’s consultation on “managing protest”. Part of the consultation suggested a “harmonisation” of certain powers to control protest, “harmonisation” in this case clearly being a euphemism for “increase”.

Yesterday, in the Lords, questions were asked regarding this issue. The first, from Baroness Miller (Lib Dem), provoked no real answer. The second, however, did:

Viscount Bridgeman (Conservative): My Lords, can the Minister confirm that no measures will be taken to extend the restrictive and undemocratic powers relating to protests around Parliament to other parts of the country?

Lord West of Spithead (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Security and Counter-terrorism), Home Office): My Lords, I can confirm that we do not intend to do that. I do not know the exact timelines but when we consider the matter we will have to review the 500 responses—some of which were very robust, I am glad to say, because I understand people’s feelings and emotions about this. We have no intention whatever to change and increase the rules in regard to the rest of England and Wales.

Try as I might, I can’t see any get out clauses there. “We have no intention whatever to change and increase the rules” is about as clear a statement as you’re ever likely to get from a politician. It looks as if the government has abandoned any attempt to “harmonise” these powers. The possibility even exists that the responses to the consultation may have had some bearing on this decision.

(One word of caution. Lord West has been known to have a sudden change of heart on occasion. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that he’d make such an unequivocal statement on this without being sure he knew what he was talking about.)

All we need now is for the ridiculous laws governing protests around parliament to be scrapped and it’ll be time to have a wee celebration. In Parliament Square. Without prior permission from the police.

Now wouldn’t that be something?