Security out foxed

NEARLY 2 years ago in this column I described the violent protests outside the House of Commons by pro-hunt supporters.

Re-reading on the website, I got a sense of déjà vu.
I could have submitted the exact same article for publication this week.

The trouble however was bigger and nastier than December 2002.
Then fireworks were thrown at a female MP.
This time another MP, Anne Picking, was punched in the face.

Bottles were hurled at the police, and one group succeeded in breaking into the chamber of the House of Commons itself.

This has led to another panic about security at the Houses of Parliament, following the Prime Minister’s purple powder protest questions.

The Commons is open to the public, and always should be.
The men went through the airport style security checks, and were admitted to the parts of the building open to the public.

At this point someone with inside knowledge must have helped them through a controlled door into the secure area.
From then on there were only three unarmed doorkeepers between the 8 invaders and the chamber.

As a result five of them were able to rush into the chamber and harangue Cardiff South and Penarth MP, Alun Michael who is the minister in charge of the fox-hunting bill.

Sadly this will lead to much tighter security, and less access to the Commons for the Public.

But thuggery, threats and stunts of this sort won’t change the minds of MPs.

If people want to argue in favour of fox-hunting in the chamber of the House of Commons, they should get themselves elected.

After seven years of blocking in the Lords, democracy would be undermined if the elected House of Commons repeated decision to ban hunting with hounds was not enacted.

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