'Our [religious protection] legislation shouldn't be used as a sword to dictate how public institutions should be run'

Dr Rakib Ehsan on the High Court's ruling against a Muslim pupil who took legal action after Michaela School banned prayer during school hours.

I don’t smoke. I think it’s a harmful habit. And I’d be mortified if my teenage kids started smoking…

However, this Bill is proper state overreach. As the Americans found with (alcohol) prohibition… it just drives the trade underground into the hands of spivs and organised…

Tea at House of Lords with the wonderful Claire Fox & Venice Allan.
A lovely day, culminating in a visit to the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft & an adjacent broom cupboard containing Tony Benn's illicit commemoration of Emily Davison.
Well worth a read.
parliament.uk/about/living-h…

“I think the conference will be back on tomorrow.”

The prime minister of Belgium has intervened after local officials shut down the National Conservatism conference, where Nigel Farage, Suella Braverman and Miriam Cates are in attendance, Bruno Waterfield reports.

@JPonPolitics

We should not treat legally competent adults differently in this way, where people born a day apart will have permanently different rights.

Among other reasons it will create difficulties with enforcement. This burden will fall not on the state but on private businesses… (3/4)

Tune in to parliamentlive.tv/Lords later this evening to listen to Baroness Fox speak up for the most vulnerable women, survivors of male violence and sexual violence.

An attempt today by Brussels officials to cancel a conference bringing together national conservatives from across Europe and America has lead to widespread condemnation from the right, but also from free speech advocates.

British Prime Minister has just added to the criticism…

Disappointing. Are we to conclude that censorship and police raids of public events, featuring political opponents, are a cause for giggles on Labour front bench? Hardly reassuring for the future of UK democratic debate

MCC's very own Chief of Staff Tony Gilland heroically defending National Conservatism. We go on while the police won't let people back in. People won't be intimidated!

Imagine being so afraid of others’ ideas you need to send the police to stop them being heard. Shameful Mr Mayor Philippe Close

I oppose many of the policies/ideas aired at this conference, especially on migration. Shutting it down is a mistake, and gives more publicity to these ideas, IMO. The actions of the Belgian authorities will be used by the likes of Braverman & Goodwin for their own advantage.

Tory MP Miriam Cates was smuggled into NatCon wearing a headscarf via a service entry. This is because the main entrance of the venue is still under a police barricade - we can leave, but cannot come back.

My statement regarding the verdict on our ban of prayer rituals at Michaela.

Event going ahead. Well done to organisers. But anyone who tells you that indiscrimately labelling people far-right is anything but an excuse for bullying censorship & shutting up oppontents will have to answer for antics of Brussels' mayoral and police Cancel Culture over-reach

Just to be clear. NatCon conference has NOT been closed down. It continues. Police did not close it down .

Police have arrived at the venue with an order to shut NatCon down for creating a public disturbance.

The conference is extremely peaceful. There is absolutely no public disturbance. Guests, including esteemed scholars and elected leaders, are enjoying hearing civilized…

Busy day in House of Lords with Rwanda Bill Ping Pong etc. But for me, it's 2 amendments to Victims & Prisoners Bill clarifying right of female victims to access women's services. I mean women, not inclusive for men identifying as women. For many in LAs etc, that's contentious

The government’s tobacco Bill is not just stunningly impractical and unjustified by the harm that smoking causes to society, rather than the individual. It is sinister. To require adults to prove their age (not that they have reached adulthood) to buy a legal product is a gross…

Congratulations to Katharine Birbalsingh telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/1…

I'm utterly at a loss as to why this is a race issue.