Steve Witherden
Main Page: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)Department Debates - View all Steve Witherden's debates with the Home Office
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
Members who have participated in the debate should be making their way back to the Chamber, because the Minister will be on her feet shortly. I expect those on the Front Benches will be communicating that message to their Back Benchers.
Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)
I shall keep my remarks brief. I welcome the vast majority of this Bill, but given the serious implications for our fundamental rights, Lords amendment 312 on cumulative disruption should be given adequate time to be properly scrutinised and debated. This amendment could be used by future far-right Governments to in effect stamp out protests and even trade union pickets altogether. As we all know, Reform UK would repeal the Employment Rights Act 2025, but I doubt it would repeal what Lords amendment 312 will allow. I strongly support my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East (Andy McDonald) in his motion to disagree with the Lords amendment. Sustained peaceful protest is central to the achievement of democratic change.
Madam Deputy Speaker
That was very brief indeed, when the hon. Member had such a huge amount of time. I call the Minister.