Allan Dorans
Main Page: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)Department Debates - View all Allan Dorans's debates with the Home Office
Coronation: Policing of Protests
Allan Dorans Excerpts(1 year ago)
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Chris Philp
The new legislation contains a specific clause, added during its passage, protecting journalistic freedoms. An incident took place in Hertfordshire a few months ago, in November, I believe, where a journalist was incorrectly arrested and the relevant police force, Hertfordshire, apologised subsequently. The Government then legislated in the recent Bill, with a specific clause protecting journalistic freedom. I do not want to comment on an individual operational matter, not least because neither the right hon. Gentleman nor I have the full facts. As I said, if an individual or others feel that they were not fairly or properly treated, there is a complaints process they can go through. Parliament, however, has made its view clear.
Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP)
Does the Minister agree with the former Greater Manchester police chief, Sir Peter Fahy, who has extensive experience of public order policing, who previously said that the Public Order Act was
“poorly defined and far too broad”
and who added this weekend that we now
“see the consequences of that”?
Chris Philp
No, I do not agree, and I have already explained why.