Following events over the weekend and in response to concerns about the upcoming Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill, Lucy Allan MP has issued a statement:
"The policing of the Clapham Common vigil was shocking. The problem is with the Coronavirus Act which requires the Police to enforce the criminalisation of peaceful protest. When we hand so much power to the State the expectation is that it will be used sensitively and proportionately. Now we have seen how these powers are exercised in practice we must question whether renewing these powers can be morally justified. Peaceful protest is a democratic right which we should all cherish.
The renewal of the Coronavirus Act will be debated by Parliament at the end of March.
The Sentencing Bill which is being debated in Parliament today introduces measures to:
- Ensure serious violent and sexual offenders spend more of their sentence in prison
- Increase to life the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving when under the influence
- Increase sentences for desecrating a war memorial
- Double the sentence for assaulting an emergency worker
- Enable prisoners who become dangerous to spend all their sentence in prison
- Make sure more repeat knife offenders and burglars serve the specified minimum jail term
These are welcome measures which I fully support.
In respect of the right to protest, the Bill refers to those protests that may cause ‘serious disruption’ to the public and to emergency services, such as disrupting public transport, main roads and bridges. As the Bill passes through Parliament there will be opportunities to amend the Bill to improve it including around this important area.
Today is a debate on the general principles, which I support. At a later stage Parliament will be able to introduce, debate and vote on amendments to improve the legislation and ensure fundamental rights and freedoms are upheld.
We have all learned from the imposition of Coronavirus regulations just how much we value our rights and freedoms. We must not give them up lightly.
The Clapham Common vigil would not have been covered by the Sentencing Bill as it was not causing any disruption to the public."
