Fiona Bruce MP Celebrates Victory in her Campaign for Free Speech
Fiona Bruce MP celebrates campaign victory as Government changes law that would have criminalised ‘annoyance’.
Having long campaigned to maintain free speech, Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton welcomes the Government’s decision to scrap plans to criminalise annoying and nuisance behaviour in public. The proposals could have criminalised peaceful protestors on virtually any issue.
The Government had originally proposed an extension to the replacement to Labour’s ASBOs, by allowing the Courts to restrict any action “capable of causing nuisance or annoyance” by any person in any place.
Campaigners said that the wording and the low evidence thresholds were dangerous as almost anyone and any action was capable of being annoying, or causing a nuisance and would lead to a slew of ridiculous and costly cases.
Following a three month campaign by the Fiona Bruce MP along with other MPs, Peers and the group Reform Clause 1, and a key vote in the House of Lords earlier this month, where peers voted overwhelmingly for Lord Dear’s amendment to the legislation, the Government has confirmed that they will accept the key changes.
Fiona Bruce MP said:
“The legislation was far too subjectively worded and a much higher threshold of antisocial behaviour than mere ‘annoyance or nuisance’ in someone’s eyes, must apply if we are to ensure our nation’s precious historic respect for freedom of speech remains intact. If we do allow infringements of free speech, many other freedoms would disappear. The United Kingdom has been a beacon of free speech to the world and I am pleased that common sense has prevailed.”
The Rt. Hon Theresa May MP has said that the Government has now tabled amendments for a:
“More effective solution for victims of anti-social behaviour which includes the terms harassment, alarm or distress”.
Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 27th January said in the House of Lords that he was pleased with the Government’s decision to change the wording to “harassment, alarm or distress”:
“We are content that the test for the grant of an injunction should be based on conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, “harassment, alarm or distress”. [i]
Notes:
On Wednesday 27th November Fiona Bruce MP with two other MPs launched of a campaign to protect free speech - ‘Reform Clause 1 – Feel Free To Annoy Me campaign.’
Fiona Bruce MP explained:
“Freedom of speech is one of the most precious – and fundamental – elements of a free society. Lose that and you risk losing a whole lot more. The Government has plans to introduce a new law which defines ‘anti-social behaviour’ as ‘conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person.’ This is a very open ended definition which has the potential to affect free speech for literally millions of ordinary people because what we say can be capable of causing nuisance, or annoyance to others, but as Voltaire said, I may ‘not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.’”
Fiona Bruce continued:
“This new law, Clause 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill, could mean that a person protesting with a placard, a busker or even a street preacher could all be subject to court proceedings - feeling ‘annoyed’ about someone else’s view should never result in this, and I am fighting vigorously to stop this law being introduced.”
[i] The Hansard Debate from House of Lords Debate 27th January 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140127-0001.htm#1401272000350
