Sunak calls for ban on protests at MPs' homes

Rishi Sunak is seeking to halt demonstrations outside MPs' homes after telling senior police officers that the UK was descending into "mob rule".

- Rajeev Syal

In comments that have concerned civil liberties groups, the prime minister also demanded a crackdown on protests outside parliament, political parties' offices and town halls that may prevent use of a venue or "cause alarm, harassment or distress".

The move follows a roundtable meeting with police chiefs yesterday in Downing Street to discuss how to handle the intimidation of MPs, candidates and councillors. It follows criticisms by ministers of regular mass protests that have escalated over the Israel-Gaza conflict and disruptive tactics used by groups such as Just Stop Oil.

Downing Street said ministers and senior police had agreed to sign up to a new "democratic policing protocol" under which police would treat demonstrations outside MPs' homes as "intimidatory", a minimum standard of police response to protests against MPs, and guidance for officers policing protests and other "democratic" events.

Sunak told police chiefs they had to demonstrate they would "use the powers you already have", saying it was "vital for maintaining public confidence in the police".

In a stark assessment of the UK's political processes, he added: "There is a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. And we've got to collectively, all of us, change that urgently.

"But we also need to demonstrate more broadly to the public that you will use the powers you already have, the laws that you have."