22 July 2008
Mike Penning raises a 'point of order' condemning protestors from the peace camp for abusing and attacking service personnel who had been invited to the House of Commons on their return from duty in Iraq.
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Yesterday, this House and the other House had the honour of welcoming 120 British servicemen returning from Iraq at the north door of the Great Hall. Mr. Speaker was there to greet them, and it was a pleasure and an honour to see them. However, while we were waiting for them, the lunatic fringe that is the peace camp outside broke through the police lines and got into the ranks of those brave servicemen and women. Those people abused and attacked the service personnel, calling them cowards and other things that I will not repeat in this House. Can we investigate how on earth British servicemen and women returning from Iraq and marching through the streets of London to this House came to be attacked, and whether enough police were on duty? Next time we invite them, can we make sure that there are enough police on hand, so that we can welcome them in the proper way?
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Michael Lord): We are all aware of the demonstrations that are a permanent feature outside the House, and of how they may sometimes stray beyond the limits. As politicians, we are perhaps more used to such things than other people but, given that the soldiers to whom the hon. Gentleman has referred were here not only to be honoured by us but to be our guests in the Houses of Parliament, I think that what happened was a dreadful situation. I am sure that he will be glad to have his words on the record, and that they will be noted by everyone in the House today and by people outside it. Let us hope that that kind of thing does not happen again.
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Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Yesterday, this House and the other House had the honour of welcoming 120 British servicemen returning from Iraq at the north door of the Great Hall. Mr. Speaker was there to greet them, and it was a pleasure and an honour to see them. However, while we were waiting for them, the lunatic fringe that is the peace camp outside broke through the police lines and got into the ranks of those brave servicemen and women. Those people abused and attacked the service personnel, calling them cowards and other things that I will not repeat in this House. Can we investigate how on earth British servicemen and women returning from Iraq and marching through the streets of London to this House came to be attacked, and whether enough police were on duty? Next time we invite them, can we make sure that there are enough police on hand, so that we can welcome them in the proper way?
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Michael Lord): We are all aware of the demonstrations that are a permanent feature outside the House, and of how they may sometimes stray beyond the limits. As politicians, we are perhaps more used to such things than other people but, given that the soldiers to whom the hon. Gentleman has referred were here not only to be honoured by us but to be our guests in the Houses of Parliament, I think that what happened was a dreadful situation. I am sure that he will be glad to have his words on the record, and that they will be noted by everyone in the House today and by people outside it. Let us hope that that kind of thing does not happen again.
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