Contributions
2,600 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsMy Lords, on this I am very happy to defer to the noble Lord’s extensive experience of policing protests of this type. It is self-evident that if you wade into a crowd, there is a…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsI am happy to reflect my noble friend’s opinion to the new Home Secretary when I speak to him.13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsI entirely agree with the noble Lord.13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsThe police have said that they are investigating those images so, yes, I think I can confirm to the noble Lord that this is happening. I would certainly like to see a march…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsMy Lords, I have absolutely no idea.13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsI certainly hope so. Police forces up and down the country have stepped up their neighbourhood patrols to support local Jewish and Muslim communities, including visiting schools,…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsMy Lords, I do not know what direct orders the Metropolitan Police Commissioner gave. As I said earlier, the response to the Cenotaph, where violence was being deployed, was swift…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsThe noble Lord makes a very good point. The Home Secretary has reserve powers and some legislative tools that enable intervention and direction, but those powers may be used only…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsOn the second part of the question, the previous Home Secretary did not interfere with the operational independence of the Metropolitan Police. On the first part, I have not yet…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsI agree with the noble Lord. It is, as he knows, governed by a pretty rigorous protocol. I went into the details of that protocol last week, and I can do it again if anybody wants…13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsI cannot answer that question, but I certainly hope the police are investigating.13 Nov 2023HANSARDPolicing of Marches and DemonstrationsMy Lords, a quick surf of the internet this morning would suggest that the noble Baroness is wrong. I suggest that trying to conflate the activities of the violent thugs who tried…13 Nov 2023HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Operational IndependenceI would say to my noble friend that the powers conferred on the Home Secretary by Section 40 of the Police Act 1996 are quite specific and rarely used. The Home Secretary has…09 Nov 2023HANSARDPakistan: Evacuation of AfghansI confirm to the noble Lord that I remember the question. At the time, I committed to write to the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup. That letter is being prepared and I will…09 Nov 2023HANSARDPakistan: Evacuation of AfghansI am afraid that I am not really qualified to answer on that matter, which I would imagine falls very much within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but I will take the question…09 Nov 2023HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Operational IndependenceI commend the noble Lords, Lord Hogan-Howe and Lord Paddick, for their comments last night in the humble Address debate, when they outlined the challenges of operational policing…09 Nov 2023HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Operational IndependenceMy Lords, the noble Lord has raised operational independence—in effect, therefore, the policing protocol—and I shall go into that in some detail. The police are operationally…09 Nov 2023HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Operational IndependenceMy Lords, I have already spoken about the operational independence of the police, which I think we all regard as sacrosanct. The Answer that I repeated included the line: “it…09 Nov 2023HANSARDPakistan: Evacuation of AfghansMy Lords, I am not qualified to comment on the operational dimensions of this policy, but I reaffirm the commitment to make sure that everyone who is eligible, without exception,…09 Nov 2023HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Operational IndependenceMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat in the form of a Statement an Answer given in another place: “Mr Speaker, since Hamas’s sickening terrorist attack in…09 Nov 2023