Authorities axes Lord Walney’s political violence adviser function

Lord Walney has referred to as for extra motion to guard the general public from “the menace of maximum protestors”, after his function as the federal government’s unbiased adviser on political violence was scrapped.

Beneath the earlier Conservative authorities, the crossbench peer really useful further powers for police to sort out demonstrations exterior Parliament and for protests teams comparable to Palestine Motion and Simply Cease Oil to be banned.

The House Workplace mentioned Lord Walney’s work would “proceed to tell our strategy”.

His earlier tasks will now be a part of the commissioner for countering extremism’s remit.

Lord Walney – the previous Labour MP John Woodcock – was given the job underneath Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2020.

In a submit on X confirming he was leaving the function, Lord Walney wrote: “At a time of accelerating threats and intimidation, we should do extra to guard our democracy and its MPs from organised coercion, and the general public from the menace of maximum protestors.

“I’ll proceed to contribute to this important debate and hope ministers will present within the coming months that they perceive the depth of the general public’s contempt for activists who unlawfully disrupt their lives and trigger legal injury to get their approach.

“Specifically, the mixed toll of the weekly Gaza marches exhibits that the stability is just not at the moment set proper.”

He added that the upcoming Crime and Policing Invoice was a chance to “give police forces better means to stability the suitable to protest with the cumulative hurt that weekly demonstrations may cause to communities and the large drain on police assets at a time they’re already overstretched”.

The federal government is recruiting for a brand new commissioner for countering extremism.

The function is at the moment held by Robin Simcox, who is because of end his three-year time period in July.

Final 12 months he warned London had turn out to be a “no-go zone for Jews” throughout weekend pro-Palestinian marches.

The feedback had been condemned by protest teams, who insisted they had been unfounded and identified members of the Jewish neighborhood additionally attended pro-Gaza rallies.

A House Workplace spokesperson mentioned: “We need to thank Lord Walney for his devoted work as unbiased advisor and his important contribution to the UK authorities’s understanding of political violence and disruption.

“His work will proceed to tell our strategy as we transfer ahead to evaluate the advanced challenges going through our nation.”

Lord Walney, a long-time critic of Jeremy Corbyn, left the Labour Get together underneath his management, saying the social gathering had been “taken over by the arduous left” and “tolerated” antisemitism.

From 2010 to 2019 he served as MP for Barrow and Furness, and he joined the Home of Lords in 2020.