Introduce protest exclusion zones around parliamentary offices, Sunak adviser says

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square in London ahead of a planned vote on a ceasefire in Gaza Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP

Protest Around the offices MPs should introduce no-go zones, the Prime Minister's official adviser on political violence has recommended as new security challenges emerge.

Lord Walney will use a forthcoming report to urge Rishi Sunak to extend the «buffer zone» powers that currently extending to schools and abortion clinics, to constituencies, parliament and council chambers.

His recommendation comes from figures around the world. The political spectrum has been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters in their constituencies following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 and the Gaza War.

On Wednesday Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, said he had chosen Labour's amendment to the conflict motion after they were warned of threats to party MPs if they were not allowed to support the motion.

Lord Walney's report , which was due to be introduced shortly after the October 7 attacks but has now been updated, will call for the expansion of expedited orders to protect public spaces.

The orders were backed by MPs in 2022 and approved by the Lords last year following anti-abortion rallies at clinics across the country and anti-Covid vaccine demonstrations outside schools.

Pro-Palestinian activists outside Sir Keir Starmer's office in north London in January Photo: Paul Grover for The Telegraph

The orders allow for the introduction of safe access zones, allowing police to ban anti-abortion protesters from doing certain things within a certain radius from the house. clinic.

The law also gives police powers to break up intimidating protests, which Lord Walney hopes will protect MPs from mobs in their communities.

Pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside the House of Commons on Wednesday evening ahead of a planned ceasefire vote. In November, hundreds of people gathered outside the constituency office of Sir Keir Starmer, the Labor Party leader, after a separate vote on the issue.

Craig Williams, Mr Sunak's parliamentary aide, has faced repeated confrontations outside of events in his Montgomeryshire. constituency activists shouted: «Blood is on your hands.»

After the Commons ceasefire debate descended into chaos on Wednesday, Lord Walney wrote in X, previously on Twitter: «Our Parliament cannot stand by and allow its work to be affected by the sense of threat posed by an angry mob gathered before its elected representatives.”

In a warning echoed by MPs including Robert Jenrick, the former immigration secretary, he said: “Liberal democracy will fail if this is tolerated.”

Lord Walney does not intend to extend his recommendation to MPs' homes as the Criminal Justice Act already allows police to direct protesters away from homes to prevent alarm, harassment or harassment.

The police were reminded of their powers. Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, and Chris Philp, the police minister, after Dorset police decided not to disperse about 80 activists outside the home of Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative MP. Protesters accused him of «complicity in genocide» in the Gaza Strip.

Dorset Police said they attended the scene «to ensure people can exercise their right to protest lawfully and safely», adding: » We respect people's rights.» rights to lawful protest.»

The Telegraph reported last month that Lord Walney's recommendations would also include a ban on wearing masks at protests amid concerns about the spread of US-style tactics.

A panel member will call for new powers for police to crack down on intimidating protests near parliament and MPs' offices, and will also demand changes to the law to allow police to ban pro-Palestinian marches due to their impact on the Jewish community. .