We must stop thugs threatening democracy and ban MPs working with groups behind Palestine marches
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer say they want to take on the extreme activists that are hijacking peaceful protests.
That’s great – whatever your view on the way Israel is seeking to eliminate the Hamas terrorists behind the 7 October massacre, we should all agree it is not on to cause mayhem on our streets and menace elected representatives here in the UK so they live in fear.
But we need action on this thuggery that threatens to undermine our proud democracy, not just words.
My review on political violence is about to be formally submitted to the prime minister and the home secretary.
In it, I am asking the leader of every mainstream political party to take a zero tolerance approach to the menace that is threatening our democracy.
So Rishi and Keir should instruct their MPs and councillors not to engage with anyone from the PSC until they get they get their house in order and cut the hate from their marches.
The same goes for hardline environmental groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil whose tactics can be to create illegal disruption to get noticed and get their way.
If you threaten MPs and break the law try to get your way, you should never be invited into the room to express your views.
For too long, too many who have the privilege of making our laws have seen extreme, highly disruptive protests as a vital expression of democracy rather than the truth – that they are a threat to it. It is time to reset the balance and put our prized liberal democracy first.