Downing Street Mocked For Lack Of Evidence On PM’s Mob Rule Claim

Downing Road has failed to offer any proof to again up Rishi Sunak’s declare that there’s a “rising consensus that mob rule is changing democratic rule” within the UK.

The prime minister made the extraordinary allegation as he met with police leaders to debate the wave of protests which have taken place over the warfare between Israel and Hamas.

At a briefing for political journalists this morning, the PM’s spokesman was repeatedly requested what Sunak had primarily based his claims on.

Whereas he was in a position to level to particular examples of disruption brought on by protesters, he couldn’t clarify why the prime minister believes most individuals now imagine Britain’s whole political system is now beneath risk from lawless teams.

The spokesman stated: “In current months we’ve witnessed makes an attempt to hijack professional protest and subvert the democratic course of, MPs have been threatened and had their household properties focused, council conferences have been repeatedly disrupted and in some circumstances deserted, constituency fundraisers have been over-run.

“The PM was additionally referring to incidents just like the blocking of Tower Bridge by protests final weekend, anti-Semitic projections on the Palace of Westminster and the intimidation of MPs and others round votes in parliament on the Israel and Gaza battle.

“It’s clearly proper in that context that the PM announce additional funding yesterday and met with police chiefs to agree a brand new policing protocol to guard the UK’s democratic processes from disruption.”

Requested the place there was consensus about “mob rule changing democratic rule”, the spokesman merely repeated the examples of disruption that he had beforehand talked about.

He added: “The PM is merely highlighting these issues and being clear that it’s a part of the federal government’s job to work with the police to make sure they’ve the ability and the assets they should deal with violence, intimidation and disruption.”

One reporter requested the spokesman: “The place is the consensus? Nobody has ever stated that aside from him.”

The spokesman replied: “I’ve spoken at size about occasions that the general public and society, MPs, communities have skilled and witnessed over weeks and months.

“That have has knowledgeable the PM’s language and the motion that he took yesterday.”

Requested for proof of the rising consensus, the spokesman stated: “The proof for that’s the occasions which have taken place.”

He was additionally requested to offer examples of individuals or teams who’re a part of the supposed “consensus” and replied: “I’m not going to hunt to call people.

“You’ve gotten seen feedback made by MPs in public in regards to the intimidation they’ve confronted and their households have confronted. You’ll be capable of communicate to individuals who over the past weeks and months have skilled council conferences being disrupted and deserted, fundraisers being over-run, household properties being focused.

“There’s a variety of individuals you would communicate to to get their views on that consensus.”

A press launch issued by No.10 final night time stated the PM had informed police leaders: “There’s a rising consensus that mob rule is changing democratic rule. And we’ve acquired to collectively, all of us, change that urgently.”

The Tory chief continued: “We additionally must display extra broadly to the general public that [the police] will use the powers you have already got, the legal guidelines that you’ve.

“I’m going to do no matter it requires to guard our democracy and our values that all of us maintain expensive.

“That’s what the general public anticipate. It’s elementary to our democratic system. And likewise it’s critical for sustaining public confidence within the police.”

Former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Dal Babu right now condemned the PM over his remarks.

He informed Radio 4′s Immediately programme: “Language is vital. I don’t suppose that type of language is useful.

“We’ve heard Suella Braverman, the previous residence secretary, speak about hate marches.

“For those who’re going to enchantment to folks to display much less, you’re really going to have unintended penalties during which extra folks come out and say ‘we’re not mob rule’.”

Social media was additionally unimpressed by the Downing Road spokesman’s solutions.