Priti Patel has accused Labour of siding with ‘vandals and thugs’ after the party voted down legislation to stop eco-protesters disrupting the country.
The Home Secretary said opposition peers were not on the side of the ‘law-abiding majority’ and had backed groups which ‘bring our country to a standstill’.
The House of Lords voted Monday night against measures to stop activists from movements like Extinction Rebellion, (XR), and Insulate Britain closing roads.
Downing Street said it was ‘disappointed’ by the move, which would prevent it from tackling ‘guerrilla tactics’ used by protesters.
Priti Patel has accused Labour of siding with ‘vandals and thugs’ after the party voted down legislation to stop eco-protesters disrupting the country
Miss Patel added: ‘Labour blocked the Government from introducing new measures to stop Insulate Britain and XR bringing our country to a standstill.
‘Once again Labour’s actions are proving they are not on the side of the law-abiding majority – instead choosing to defend vandals and thugs.’
Oliver Dowden, Tory chairman and Liberal Democrat leader, said Labour and the Liberal Democrats are enabling protesters to block roads and ambulances. He added they had voted to make it ‘harder for the British people to get on with their lives’.
Peers defeated the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and inflicted several defeats upon the Government.
No10 claimed it would take into account the votes. However, the Commons could be used to repeal the defeats.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘It is disappointing the Lords did not back the public order measures that will ensure the everyday lives of the overwhelming majority are not disrupted by a selfish minority of protesters whose actions endanger lives and cost the public millions of pounds.’
The House of Lords voted Monday night against measures to stop activists from movements like Extinction Rebellion, (XR), and Insulate Britain closing roads.
They added that policing XR protests in April and October 2019 cost £37million, ‘more than twice the annual budget of London’s violent crime taskforce’, while Insulate Britain cost forces £4million in three months last year.
Dominic Raab (Justice Secretary) suggested yesterday that the Government will reintroduce restrictions to protests in the wake of the defeats.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: ‘Of course we support the right of peaceful and rambunctious protest, but it cannot be allowed to interfere with the lives of the law-abiding majority.’ Among rejected powers was one that would allow individuals with a history of causing serious disruption to be banned from certain protests.
It was rejected as well as a proposal that would make it an offense for someone to interrupt operation of important infrastructure like airports and printers.
Peers voted in a separate loss to limit harsher penalties for blocking major roads and motorways, rather than all roads.