Lindsay Hoyle under pressure over Gaza vote as No 10 brands MP threats ‘attack on democracy’ - live
More than 70 MPs sign no-confidence motion in Commons speaker as PM expresses concerns
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Rishi Sunak has said it is “unacceptable” for protesters to demonstrate outside MPs’ homes as Downing Street said protest must not “turn into abuse”.
Speaking during a tour of North Wales on Friday, the prime minister said: “It’s simply unacceptable for intimidation or aggressive behaviour to threaten our parliamentary democracy and our freedom of expression.”
He added that he is giving police more power to clamp down on “intimidation and aggressive behaviour”.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “We will continue to keep MPs’ security under review to ensure that they have the protections that they need. We’re also both clear that we won’t allow democracy to be silenced or stifled.
“And intimidation against MPs is an attack on democracy and we won’t allow that to win.”
James Cleverly also vowed to be vigilant against threats and pressure on MPs after Sir Lindsay Hoyle argued his actions in the Gaza ceasefire vote were motivated by concern about security.
More than 70 Conservative and SNP MPs signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay in the aftermath.
Cleverly denies UK’s borders are insecure following Brexit
James Cleverly denied that the UK’s borders have been left insecure since Brexit.
The Home Secretary said the UK was a member of EU institutions including border agency Frontex before the EU referendum.
Asked whether the vote to leave had left Britain’s borders insecure, he told LBC Radio: “That’s not the case at all.
“Leaving the European Union meant we were able to define our own immigration policy...
“We are not going back into an organisation. We’re making an agreement with an organisation that we have left.
Police ‘need powers to disperse threatening protests outside Parliament’
Police should have the powers to “disperse” protests around Parliament, MPs’ offices and council chambers that they deem to be threatening, the Government’s political violence tsar has said.
Baron Walney, the UK Government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, said the “aggressive intimidation of MPs” by “mobs” was being “mistaken” for an “expression of democracy”.
The comments by Lord Walney come as the issue of MP safety has once again reared its head this week following a chaotic debate on the Israel-Hamas war.
Police ‘need powers to disperse threatening protests outside Parliament’
The Government’s political violence tsar Lord Walney said ‘aggressive intimidation of MPs’ was being mistaken for a democratic expression.
Starmer insists he did not threaten Lindsay Hoyle ‘in any way’ over Gaza vote
Sir Keir Starmer said he did not threaten Sir Lindsay Hoyle “in any way” to ensure Labour got its way on a vote on Gaza on Wednesday night (21 February). The Labour leader insisted he “simply urged to ensure we have the broadest possible debate” as he spoke to reporters the following day. Sir Linsday has faced calls to resign after taking an exceptional decision to allow multiple Commons votes on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Sir Keir has been accused by Penny Mordaunt of using the Speaker for political gain over the vote. The Commons leader accused him of putting “the interests of the Labour party before the interests of the British people”.
Cleverly backs Hoyle as almost 70 MPs sign call for Speaker to quit
Home Secretary James Cleverly gave his personal backing to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle despite criticism of his handling of a Gaza ceasefire debate.
The Speaker gained the support of the senior Cabinet minister even as he faced continued pressure to step down.
Nearly 70 MPs, more than a tenth of the Commons, have signed a motion proposed by senior Conservative William Wragg expressing no confidence in him after Wednesday’s SNP Opposition Day vote descended into chaos.
Cleverly backs Hoyle as almost 70 MPs sign call for Speaker to quit
Sir Lindsay Hoyle gained the support of the senior Cabinet minister as he faced continued pressure to step down.
Cleverly does not ‘always agree with everything’ Braverman says after former home secretary claims ‘Islamists are in charge now'
James Cleverly said he did not “always agree with everything” his predecessor Suella Braverman says after she claimed “Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now”.
The Home Secretary told LBC: “She’s clearly expressing frustrations that she’s felt whilst she was in this role.
“And I understand that. And she and I remain close friends - that doesn’t mean to say I always agree with everything she’s saying.
“But it is absolutely the case that we must make sure that we crack down on extremist behaviour, it’s absolutely the case that we must not let our democracy be distorted through fear or intimidation.”
Asked about her comment that “turning a blind eye to fanatics has got us into this terrible situation”, Mr Cleverly said: “I’m not sure who she’s referring to when she’s talking about turning a blind eye, because I certainly haven’t turned a blind eye since I’ve been the Home Secretary.”
‘Nonsense’ for protesters to stand outside MPs’ homes- Cleverly
It is “nonsense” for protesters outside MPs’ homes to claim they are not seeking to intimidate, James Cleverly has said.
“Someone saying: ‘I’m standing outside someone’s private house in numbers, but we don’t seek to intimidate’, I’m sorry, that’s clearly nonsense,” the Home Secretary told the BBC’s Today programme.
“Where a mob of people are outside someone’s private residence, clearly with the intention of distorting their future votes, that is unacceptable and we expect the police to deal with it.”
He said police already have the powers that they need to stop protests outside MPs’ homes and offices, “and we also want them to understand that they have our backing when they use those powers”.
“The only thing that politicians should fear is the ballot box,” Mr Cleverly said.
“It’s incredibly important... that we do not allow a situation to be created where people cannot vote with their belief and conscience because of fear of reprisals.
“The ballot box is where people and organisations should make their views clear.”
Sunak says it is ‘unacceptable’ to threaten democracy in response to protests outside MPs’ homes
It is “unacceptable” for intimidation to threaten democracy, Rishi Sunak has said.
Speaking during a tour of North Wales on Friday, the Prime Minister was asked about protests outside MPs’ homes.
He told reporters: “I think MPs’ safety is incredibly important. And it’s right that in our society, democracy needs to be able to function smoothly. People need to be able to raise their views and debate things without the fear of being intimidated or indeed attacked.
“And that’s why we’re giving police more powers to clamp down on protests.
“It’s simply unacceptable for intimidation or aggressive behaviour to threaten our parliamentary democracy and our freedom of expression.
“And some of the scenes we’ve been seeing in recent months, particularly antisemitic behaviour, are appalling and unacceptable. That’s why we’re giving the police more powers and I expect them to use them to make sure we clamp down on all of this.”
Cleverly says politicians should not make decisions based on threats
Politicians should not make decisions based on “fear or favour,” James Cleverly has said.
After the Speaker argued his actions in the Gaza ceasefire vote were motivated by concern about MPs’ security, the Home Secretary said he was “conscious that there has been increased pressure” on parliamentarians.
He told Sky News: “I’ve not had any specific threats brought to me, but we will stay constantly vigilant.
“But the point I would make is ultimately Members of Parliament and indeed elected officials through all layers of Government have got to act without fear or favour.
“They need to be defended and we’re absolutely determined to do that.”
The Cabinet minister continued: “We should not be changing our procedures in response to threats or intimidation. That would indicate that the threats and the intimidation is working. That’s the opposite of the message that we want to send.”
He added that “people who make decisions in Government at whatever level are doing so based on their judgment, based on the information, based on their beliefs, not based on fear of reprisals.”
Home secretary will no ‘impinge on police operational decisions’
The Home Secretary said he would not “impinge on operational decisions” by the police when asked whether officers should have stopped a controversial pro-Palestinian message being projected onto Parliament.
The phrase “from the river to the sea” was reportedly beamed onto the building on Wednesday as Gaza protesters descended on Westminster.
James Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s very difficult for me to second-guess the operational nature of this.
“I don’t know where those images were projected from. I don’t know how easy it would have been for the police officers to get there.
“But the fact is they are deeply, deeply offensive words... The implication is the eradication of the state of Israel. And both personally and as a Government, we completely reject that.”
He said the operational nature of policing was a matter for chief constables, the Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Cleverly backs Commons Speaker
Home secretary James Cleverly has firmly backed Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle amid criticism of his handling of the Gaza ceasefire debate.
The senior Cabinet minister told Sky News on Friday: “I think the Speaker has done a fantastic job. I think he’s been a breath of fresh air compared with his predecessor.
“He made a mistake. He’s apologised for the mistake.
“My view is that I’m supportive of him.”
Mr Cleverly said it was his personal view because the selection of the Speaker is “House business” rather than for Government ministers to decide.
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