Human rights in the UK

Report shows that threats to various rights exist in this country

July 2025

We tend to think of threats to human rights exist elsewhere than in the UK. As this report shows, there are threats to freedom of speech and the right to protest in the UK. There are also issues of poverty which have a dramatic effect on people’s wellbeing. We are grateful for group member Fiona for the work put in to produce this report.

Abortion Law Reform

In an amendment to the government’s crime and policing bill, parliament voted to change the criminal laws that govern abortion in England and Wales so that women procuring a termination outside the legal framework cannot be prosecuted.

The framework of access to an abortion – including the need for two doctors’ signatures, and the time limits at which terminations can be carried out – will remain the same and doctors who act outside the law will still face the threat of prosecution. But women who terminate their pregnancy outside the rules, for example after the time limit or by buying pills online, will no longer face arrest or prison. The offence of inducing a miscarriage carries a maximum sentence of life. The amendment came after growing calls for a change in the law as the number of women investigated, arrested or prosecuted has increased in recent years.

Freedom to Protest

In June the government decided not to continue their appeal against the High Court Judgement brought by campaign charity Liberty, which disallowed the former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s definition of ‘serious disruption’ as ‘more than minor’ disruption in relation to the policing of protests. This means that Liberty’s original High Court challenge is now legally accepted and the draconian anti-protest laws are now void. Liberty is now demanding a government review of dozens of wrongful arrests and convictions of peaceful protesters that are now invalid.

ECHR Reform

Britain is determined to protect the European Convention on Human Rights claimed the justice secretary but will pursue reform of the ECHR both at home and in Strasbourg. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said ‘The European convention on human rights is one of the great achievements of post-war politics. It has endured because it has evolved and must do so again.’

She will undertake an examination of how the courts were applying the right to freedom from degrading treatment. Change could come in the form of guidance to courts, or even legislation. The move is seen as a defence against right-wing populism. Concern focuses on Article 3, freedom from torture and other degrading treatment, and Article 8, the right to a family life, recently raised in an ITV documentary about the case of two criminals avoiding deportation because of overcrowded conditions in Brazilian jails.

Assisted Dying

Terminally ill people are to be given the right to an assisted death in a historic societal shift that will transform end-of-life care in England and Wales. After months of argument, MPs narrowly voted in favour of a private member’s bill introduced by Labour’s Kim Leadbeater, which could become law within four years.

The emotional debate in parliament was dominated by pleas from opponents of the bill for stricter safeguards against coercion by abusers, concern from disabled people and warnings about the fundamental change in the power of the state when granted new rights over life and death. The prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, voted in favour of the bill, and MPs were given a free vote. The House of Lords is not expected to block its progress, though opponents said they would continue to fight the bill there. Royal assent is widely expected by the end of the year. It will give people in England and Wales with less than six months to live the right to an assisted death after approval from two doctors and a panel including a psychiatrist, social worker and senior lawyer.

Note: Amnesty does not have a position on assisted dying. it arose because it concerned the manner of the decision and people’s right to chose.

Campus Protests Guidance

Universities in England will no longer be able to enforce blanket bans on student protests under sweeping new guidance from the Office for Students that urges a “very strong” approach to permitting lawful speech on campus.

The detailed regulations set out for the first time how universities should deal with inflammatory disputes, such as those between the University of Cambridge and students over the war in Gaza, and rows over academics who hold controversial but legal opinions, such as the gender-critical professor Kathleen Stock.

The guidance issued by the OfS will make it harder for universities to penalise students and staff for anything other than unlawful speech or harassment. But experts said the guidance failed to address the complexity of balancing free speech with activities that have “chilling effects” on students or staff. Universities are advised not to apply prolonged bans on protest encampments involving the Israel-Gaza conflict such as were used by Cambridge University earlier this year but are encouraged to block demonstrations that are “frequent, vociferous and intrusive” if they intimidate Jewish students. The guidance also says: academics should not be pressed to support particular views; protests should not be restricted for supporting legal viewpoints; students or staff should not be “encouraged to report others” for lawful speech; universities must “secure freedom of speech” for visiting speakers.

Activism group proscribed

The Home Secretary has determined to proscribe the activist group Palestine Action after their spray painting of two RAF spotter planes in Brize Norton used for surveillance in Gaza. Ministers claim they are used solely to search for hostages but critics claim that any information sharing with Israeli security could lead to the torture of Palestinians. The protest group has now been designated a terrorist organisation.

While sharing information from Netpol.org or Amnesty International about, for example, the legal analysis of the proscription, is not an offence, actively expressing support for Palestine Action, such as through chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles associated with the group, is an offence according to the Metropolitan Police.

Post Office Horizon Scandal

The first findings from the public inquiry into what has been labelled the worst miscarriage of justice in UK history reveals that more than 13 people may have killed themselves while at least 59 were driven to contemplate suicide. Sir Wyn Williams, the retired judge who chaired the hearings, looks at the “disastrous human impact” on the more than 1,000 post office operators wrongly accused of taking money from their branches because faulty software showed a shortfall.

It also covers the issue of compensation to those seeking financial redress, who now number at least 10,000.

Speaking after the report was published, Williams said evidence had revealed a “profoundly disturbing” picture. About 1,000 post office operators were prosecuted and convicted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015, the report said, because of faulty Horizon accounting software that suggested they had committed fraud. A further 50 to 60 people, possibly more, were prosecuted but not convicted. At least 3000 cases are still to resolve.

State Broadcaster Impartiality Challenged

Critics have claimed that the BBC’s continuing news coverage of the Gaza situation has shown bias in, for example. failing to mention the role played by the RAF in surveillance of the area. The BBC also decided to pull the film Gaza: Doctors Under Attack which, when subsequently broadcast by Channel 4, exposed a pattern of deliberate destruction of medical facilities and arrest, detention and torture of medics in Gaza. Since Israel and the IDF was given every opportunity to rebut the claims made in the film, critics say it is difficult to see any reason why the BBC could not have shown it.

Trial by Jury

Thousands of defendants in England and Wales could lose the right to a jury trial under plans designed to save the criminal justice system from collapse, with 77,000 cases pending in crown courts.

Former judge Sir Brian Leveson, asked by the government to come up with proposals to tackle a record courts backlog, said he had been forced to make recommendations he did not “rejoice in”. Historically, only defendants facing minor offences in a magistrates court have been denied the right to a jury trial, which has long been synonymous in England and Wales with the right to a fair trial. But if Leveson’s recommendations are implemented the right could be removed for offences such as sexual assault, racially or religiously aggravated strangulation, harassment and child abduction.

Recommendations in the report include: the creation of a new division of the crown court in which a judge and two magistrates hear “either way” offences (those in which the defendant can currently choose to be heard by either a magistrate or a jury in the crown court); removing the right to be tried in the crown court for offences that carry a maximum sentence of no more than two years; reclassifying some either way offences so they can be tried only in a magistrates court; trial by judge alone for serious and complex fraud cases; the right for all crown court defendants to elect to be tried by a judge alone.

Welfare Bill

The second reading of the government’s welfare bill has passed its first Commons test only after a central element – changes to personal independence payments – was removed on Tuesday. The bill passed with an unprecedented 49 Labour MP’s rebelling. The restriction of access to PIP was felt to unduly penalise vulnerable people, the disabled and ethnic minorities.

July 10, 2025 0

Death penalty report

Iran features in this months report

July 2025

We are pleased to attach the latest report on the use of the death penalty around the world for the period

mid-June to mid-July thanks to group member Lesley for its production. Note that China does not appear because although it is believed to execute more of its citizens than the rest of the world put together, details are a state secret.

Picture of prisoners lining up to be executed in Iran.

Report June July (Word)Download

July 10, 2025 0

UK Refugee Crisis: Strategies to Address Small Boat Arrivals

Refugees and boat crossings still making political waves

July 2025

With the state visit of President Macron this week, the small boats are back in the headlines. As Macron and Starmer try to thrash out a deal to reduce the numbers arriving in the UK, the UK has been pressuring the French police to use new tactics against the irregular immigrants, allowing them to stop boats from up to 300 meters from the shoreline rather than only dealing with them on land. Presently they can only intervene if there is danger to life. The police are, in any event accused of puncturing inflatable boats as well as more heinously using tear gas and pepper spray on children.

An agreement between the UK and France on a “one in one out” basis, so that any arrival can be sent

back to France if replaced by a candidate deemed more worthy by dint of family connection, has been mooted, but the press conference will be on Thursday afternoon, so we will not know just yet. At all events, other EU nations are complaining about a possible deal which will make it more likely that arrivals in Europe will end up on their shores.

‘we have to make migration boring again’

Meanwhile, Amy Pope, the CEO of the (UN’s) International Organisation for Migration, has suggested any proposed changes will be unlikely to work, bearing in mind the level of commitment the migrants have already put in before reaching the English Channel. She is also in favour of de-politicising the debate. Her comment “We have to make migration boring again” is clearly the most valuable contribution from anyone so far.

Arrivals

As noted last month, the number of arrivals in the UK on small boats continues to break records (20,000 by the end of June). This has been put down to good weather, smugglers’ new techniques and increasing conflicts around the world (the largest number of hopeful asylum seekers in Calais are from Sudan).

The Government is hoping to save up to £1 billion by speeding up backlog processing. However, the backlog is now 90,000 rather than 50,000 in 2024. In 2024, there were84,000 asylum claims – In the EU as a whole there were nearly a million – 997,000.

With much discussion on what legal routes immigrants can take, here is a summary of the current situation in the UK: there are presently 7 options.

UNHCR can select people it thinks appropriate to send (the places cannot be applied for, and amount to only 1% of all refugees).
UK Resettlement Scheme. The status of this is unclear; it includes community sponsorship and accounts for about 700 arrivals last year.
Mandate Scheme. This is for people with relatives in the UK. 23 cases were reported in 2024.
Family Reunions. Applies after refugee status has been agreed by the UK.

Mostly Syrians , Iranians and Eritreans. 5000 in quarter 1 2025.

Hong Kong. Numbers low now as most cases already settled.
Afghanistan. ACRS and ARAOP have now been closed, with virtually no explanation. “Further measures…[will be] announced later this year.” More Afghans have been arriving by boats than under these arrangements anyway.
Ukraine. Numbers also down now to about 4000 a month. Only 1698 asylum claims since 2022.

The Refugee Council have a new report New Roots, New Futures, arguing for a national integration strategy for refugees in the UK. They are particularly exercised by the need for new arrivals to have access to help in obtaining work and housing once they have been given right to remain.

The Green Party have put forward a plan for the Home Office to be split, with various options for the immigration departments.

By way of context, it should be noted that 73% of the world’s refugees are in Low/Middle Income countries, 67% of them are in countries neighbouring the one they are fleeing. Per head of population the countries with the highest number of refugees are Lebanon (1 in 8 of the population), Aruba and Chad.

The European Convention on Human Rights has become an issue again with questionable claims being made about possible unfair exploitation of loopholes. It should be stated that the Convention does not affect individual countries’ immigration policy, and that it is rare for claimants to a right of “family life” and such to win their case. The ECHR has ruled against the UK twice in the last two years, in neither case about immigration/deportation issues. They have generally prevented removals from the UK about once every 4.5 years since 1980. Leaving the Convention over this issue would seem rather unnecessary.

Andrew Hemming

‘Don’t say you didn’t know’

83rd vigil in Salisbury for peace in Gaza

July 2025

And so they continue, 83 now and counting. We had no notion when we started these vigils that we would still be holding them well over a year later. It is evidence of the strength of feeling that over 30 people (40 yesterday, 5th July) turn out each Saturday for half an hour of silent protest. A YouTube video prepared by Peter Gloyns can be accessed here.

The arguments are now well worn and well rehearsed. Every day, men women and children die in Gaza or have serious and life changing wounds as a result of a relentless bombardment by Israeli jets or drones. A few days ago it was a 500 lb bomb dropped on the al-Baqa café killing many and leaving a pile of mutilated body parts strewn around. Over 56,500 have now died but the actual death toll is far higher as many thousands lie under the rubble undiscovered.

The culpability of the West – including the UK – in this carnage will leave a stain on the nation for years to come. We continue to supply weapons to the Israelis; we allow Elbit Systems to continue to manufacture the drones which hover over the territory and are used to kill; we covertly use RAF planes to overfly Gaza allegedly to help locate hostages but whose real purpose is something of a mystery and we clamp down on protests: only yesterday, the government banned Palestine Action.

The nation’s broadcaster, the BBC, has come in for serious criticism – some of which is justified – for failing properly to inform its viewers and listeners of the true state of affairs. It has failed to mention the role of the RAF for example. It’s decision to pull the film Gaza: Doctors under Attack has come in for particular criticism. Fortunately, it was aired by Channel 4 and exposed in considerable detail the pattern of deliberate destruction of medical facilities in Gaza: first the bombing; then the physical destruction and finally the arrest, detention and torture of the medics. Israel and the IDF was given every opportunity to rebut claims made in the film. There seemed to be no rational reason why the BBC could not have shown it.

A feature of the BBC row is the role of one of its directors, Robbie Gibb, who is closely involved with the Jewish Chronicle and is said to be directly involved in editorial decisions including pulling the earlier Gaza film. Insiders claim the feebleness of the BBC news is largely due to his influence. Under the guise of impartiality, the result in fact is highly partial reporting.

July 6, 2025 0

Ban on Palestine Action confirmed

Group loses its case in the High Court and is now proscribed

July 2025

As of today (July 5th) Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation. This decision has been widely condemned and is seen as an abuse of legislation introduced to stop far more deadly organisations. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, lumped into the order, two other organisations: Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement, to give MPs little choice but to approve it which they did 385 votes to 26. PA now joins al-Qaeda and ISIS on the list. Local MP, Danny Kruger (E Wilts) voted for the ban.

There is no doubt that PA caused damage to the various establishments they raided. Although Cooper and others spoke of violence, no evidence of violence has been produced. This action is of a piece with legislation introduced by the previous government to limit and make protests and demonstrations a lot more difficult. Well, not quite, because it may be noticed that the farmers have been taking their tractors into London and elsewhere and blocked streets and stopped traffic. There is no record of any police action against them nor any arrests having been made.

Many have made the point that the activities of PA are covered by existing legislation and indeed, some have been arrested and sentenced after earlier actions using laws already on the statute book. When the terrorism law was introduced about a quarter of a century ago the claim was made then that it would only be used for ‘extreme’ crimes. That seems to have been forgotten. Unfortunately, the legislation is overly broad enabling it to be used in cases like this. The problem has been that juries have not been convinced by government lawyers and have not found against the defendants, hence the need to ban them. Taking them to court for spraying RAF jets stood little chance of a successful conviction now that more people know what dubious activities the RAF are up to and the covert help they are offering the Israelis. The suggestions are that they have carried out over 600 flights over Gaza and that they are refuelling Israeli jets in some of their sorties.

What has embarrassed the government is that the group is drawing attention to the government support being offered, not just by the RAF but in allowing Elbit Systems to continue to make the drones in factories here in the UK, as they claim on their website.

People have a right to protest and the list of protest movements who have brought change is a long one. We noted in our last post that the very fact Yvette Cooper is an MP and a minister is as a result of a prolonged period of protest – latterly violent – by the suffragists and the suffragettes. Her action, and the willingness of 385 MPs to vote for the motion is a shameful one.

One MP, Nadia Whittome (Lab) said “Hundreds of lawyers have written to the Home Secretary, warning that proscribing Palestine Action would conflate protest and terrorism. Amnesty International and Liberty have both expressed deep concerns. A senior civil servant has briefed that there is disquiet among Home Office staff about the decision, and has called it “absurd” [HC Deb 2 July c367]. Earlier in the debate she reminded the House of the suffragettes.

While the government was busy proscribing Palestine Action, people were still being killed in the food queues and what is believed to be a massive 500 lb bomb was dropped on the al Baqa café in the north. The bomb killed a large numbers of people many of whom were blown to pieces. Around 56,500 have been killed in Gaza.

Sources: BBC; Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, Amnesty International, They Work for You.

Vigil

Forty people turned out today (5 July) for the weekly vigil in Salisbury.

Latest posts:

July 5, 2025 2

Amnesty Critiques High Court’s Decision on Arms Exports

High Court rules against action by human rights groups

June 2025

The High Court has ruled that sales of components for the F35 aircraft can continue to be sold to Israel. The judgement has come as a big disappointment for campaigning organisations including Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, Al-Haq and Amnesty. The judges said that the decision was properly for the government to decide. They said:

‘[The] issue is whether it is open to the court to rule that the UK must withdraw from a specific multilateral defence collaboration which is reasonably regarded by the responsible ministers as vital to the defence of the UK and to international peace and security, because of the prospect that some UK-manufactured components will or may ultimately be supplied to Israel, and may be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law in the conflict in Gaza.’

Global Legal Action Network who brought the case with the support of the three British human rights

organisations which are parties to the case, argued that under the Arms Trade Treaty and the Genocide Convention, the UK, as a state party to both, is obligated to stop sending the parts and that, by failing to follow its obligations, is threatening the rule of law globally.

Amnesty statement

In response to the verdict, Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK, said:

“We are disappointed by today’s ruling, but the court has been clear that while it does not have the authority to make a judgment on UK exports of F-35 arms parts, this does not absolve the executive and Parliament from their responsibilities to act.

The UK has a legal obligation to help prevent and punish genocide and yet it continues to authorise the export of weapons to Israel despite the clear risks that these weapons will be used to commit genocide.

This judgment does not change the facts on the ground, nor does it absolve the UK government of its responsibilities under international law. The risk that UK arms may be used to facilitate serious international crimes remains alarmingly high. If the courts will not intervene, then the moral and legal burden on the Government and Parliament to act – before more lives are lost and further irreparable harm is done – is even greater.

“The horrifying reality in Gaza is unfolding in full view of the world: entire families obliterated, civilians killed in so-called safe zones, hospitals reduced to rubble, and a population driven into starvation by a cruel blockade and forced displacement. These are not isolated tragedies; they are part of a systematic assault on a besieged population.

The UK must end all arms transfers to Israel if we are serious as a country about our commitments to international law and human rights.

Many of those who attend the weekly vigil in Salisbury will find this decision deeply disappointing.

Gaza documentary

The documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is to be shown on Channel 4 on 2nd July at 10pm. The BBC declined to show it saying it did not meet its high editorial standards. Members of staff met Tim Davie the Director General of the BBC at a virtual meeting and many expressed their disquiet at the decision to pull the documentary. The BBC denies claims it is frightened to air such programmes.

Sources: Middle East Eye; Yahoo News; Reuters; Guardian.

Coffee morning

Group holding a coffee morning

June 2025

PAST EVENT

We held our coffee morning in St Thomas’s Church in Salisbury this Saturday 5th July

This is a fund raising do but it is an opportunity to meet the group if you are thinking of joining us. The issue of human rights is ever present with mass violations around the world some of which we have featured in previous posts. But it is also a rising issue in the UK with the legislation passed by the previous Conservative government curtailing various freedoms and increasing police powers to limit demonstrations, which are still on the statute book. The Labour government shows not sign of repealing them. The threat by the Home Secretary to prohibit Palestine Action is also of concern.

We look forward to seeing you.

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Coffee morning

June 29, 2025 0

Eighty second vigil well attended

Around 35 attend the 82nd vigil. Alarming allegations in Haaretz

June 2025

On a really hot day, around 35 attended the 82nd vigil in Salisbury for peace in Gaza. Gaza dropped out of the news briefly with the bombing of Iran but the stories of people being killed trying to get food continue. Food is being distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the aid points are positioned in IDF military zones. This seems to be a reason (or justification) for soldiers to fire on the people desperate to get hold of supplies. The most alarming news to emerge yesterday was a report in Haaretz which has alleged IDF soldiers are ordered to fire on unarmed Palestinians. In an article ‘It’s a Killing Field’ one soldier said it was a total breakdown of IDF’s ethical codes.

The Israeli government has denied the report calling it a ‘blood libel’. The problem for the Israeli government by not allowing foreign journalists into Gaza and always denying reports in their interviews, means they are becoming hard to believe. Over 56 000 have now been killed in the conflict and about 550 killed at the aid points.

BBC bias alleged in report

A report in the current addition of Byline Times concerns alleged BBC bias in its reporting of the conflict. Produced by the Centre for Media Monitoring it has analysed one year of the BBC’s reporting and find that it is wanting. There are many critics of the BBC – the bulk of it unmerited – but this is a serious look at issues of language, lack of balance and how partial it has become. The worry is that many within the Corporation are similarly concerned. The BBC may take comfort in the criticism of Israeli government supporters and from the Daily Telegraph which accused them of being captured by the ‘death cult’ of Hamas. The decision to scrap the film Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone does not help their case. Like other broadcasters, they are not allowed into Gaza which does weaken criticisms from Israel: what are they trying to hide?

Another report in Byline Times, courtesy of Middle East Eye, is that the then prime minister David Cameron, threatened the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan, that the UK would defund them and withdraw from the Rome Statute if it did not drop plans to issue arrest warrants for Prime minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Khan ignored the threat and went ahead with warrants for using starvation as a weapon of warfare. The story has not been denied.

Do not forger there is an exhibition at the Methodist Church of the vigil photographs.

June 28, 2025 0

Video of Salisbury vigils

Video highlighting the 80+ vigils held in Salisbury and the exhibition

June 2025

We are delighted to attach a video* with clips from the 81 vigils so far held in Salisbury in aid of peace in Gaza. The bombing of Iran and the retaliation by them has distracted attention from the continuing misery which is taking place in Gaza. The death toll now stands at 56,000 including thousands of children. Many more have suffered terrible injuries with life long consequences.

The is an exhibition at Salisbury Methodist Church, St Edmunds St which is open from 9:30 clips of which

appear in the video.

The strangulation of Gaza continues with tightly restricted supplies of food and other goods allowed in. The war of words continues with an Israeli spokesman interviewed on Channel 4 saying there is no blockade. Foreign journalists are not allowed in so independent reporting of what is happening is difficult. The evidence seems to point to utter confusion at the aid distribution points with many being shot every day in a desperate attempt to get food.

Britain continues to supply weapons to Israel and to give them diplomatic cover. More attention is being paid to the role of the RAF, especially after the action by Palestine Action last week at Brize Norton. The RAF has overflown Gaza around 600 times now and the claims by the minister that they are to help find the remaining hostages is to be doubted in view of the government’s continued support for Israel and the supply of arms.

The local MP, Mr John Glen, has not visited any of the vigils and has not mentioned them in his weekly column in the local paper.

Previous posts:

*The Exhibition and video are the work of Peter Glyns.

June 26, 2025 0

Proscribing Palestine Action

Government’s intention to proscribe Palestine Action regrettable

June 2025

UPDATE: July 3rd. Parliament voted to ban Palestine Action yesterday. They were included in a motion with Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperialist Movement, two extreme organisations. Parliament voted 385 to 26 in favour.

Yvette Cooper is a woman. She has the vote. She is also a Member of Parliament and presently the Home Secretary. That she is able to vote and become an MP is in large part because beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century, a number of campaigners fought for female suffrage. They began peacefully, writing pamphlets and holding marches and some became suffragists. It availed them

nothing. Then, at the turn of the century in 1903, frustrated by years of inaction, their campaigning became more violent involving throwing bricks, disrupting public meetings, ruining golf courses, planting bombs and going on hunger strikes. They were termed ‘suffragettes’ a word coined by the Daily Mail as a term of disparagement. After the Great War, they achieved their goal, at least partly and today women have the vote. And a woman like Yvette Cooper can become an MP.

Palestine Action entered the news this week because of their action in Brize Norton. They did not disrupt the actions of the RAF as admitted by the Department of Defence. They did not throw a bomb and no one was injured. They did seriously embarrass the RAF however by showing how feeble their security was. Yet Evette Couper has decided that it is to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Great has been the chorus of condemnation. A local MP, Dr. Andrew Murrison said ‘they were a national security threat‘ in a

quote in the Jewish Chronicle. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader said ‘this is not lawful protest but politically motivated criminality‘. Lord Walney (pictured), a former adviser on political violence and extremism, went into overdrive saying it was a ‘grotesque breach of national security … we should not let these criminal activists act like the Ayatollah apparatchiks by attacking the country from within … employees at the workplace they target have been systematically terrorised by Palestine Action for too long.’

At root is the issue of Palestine and Gaza. With 56,000 now dead in Gaza with more deaths daily adding to the total, there are many who object to the continued support being provided by the UK government to Israel. This includes arms supplies, diplomatic cover and – the issue behind the raid on Brize Norton – the activities of the RAF in overflying Gaza. Details of which are scant and which a government minister has claimed it is ‘solely in pursuit of hostage rescue.’ Another issue which has emerged is that the Israeli Embassy has been pressing the government to take action against Palestine Action. Heavily redacted internal government documents released under freedom of information laws have revealed meetings between the government and Israeli embassy officials, apparently to discuss Palestine Action. Ministers have also met representatives from the Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems.

The RAF flights are controversial and there are suggestions that they and the UK government are complicit in Israel’s actions in Gaza. In particular it is alleged the information is used to assist them in torturing Palestinians.

A familiar cry from politicians and some media commentators is that they are happy with peaceful protests but taking action by spraying RAF planes is not acceptable.

The Home Secretary’s response and proposal to proscribe the organisation is seen by many to be extreme. Peaceful protests are almost always ignored. Perhaps Ms Cooper should remember that she owes her exalted status to the violent actions of women a century or so ago. Left to the peaceful protests of the suffragists, she could now be an unknown and certainly not an MP.

June 24, 2025 1

Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire