Conservative Conference in Scotland has to be moved to a secret venue on police advice.
What does it say about Britain's commitment to democracy when this is allowed to happen?
The Scottish Conservatives sought police advice after finding the websites which the hard left were using to orchestrate protests against the annual West of Scotland Conservative Conference next month, designed to replicate the scenes in Manchester when just about everyone attending CPC15 - including minimum wage cleaners, caterers, and stage assemblers, and journalists covering the conference - had obscenities screamed at them, and some people were also spat at, jostled, or pelted with eggs or plastic balls.
If the report in the Scottish Daily Mail which I have linked to above is correct, the Police Scotland response was that that unless the party could supply its' own security force they would recommend cancellation of the event.
I will not post here the highly critical comments I would make about Police Scotland if I were absolutely certain that this is true, because I don't have concrete proof that it is. The Police Scotland statement said that
"The decision regarding the event was taken by the event organisers in consultation with the proposed venue. Police Scotland officers spoke with the event organisers as a matter of course when a number of options were presented as to the appropriate stewarding requirements for the event."
What is certainly true is that the event was cancelled at the original venue and, I understand, will be reorganised as a private event at an undisclosed location.
It is a sad day for Scotland and for democracy when a mainstream political party - whether it is that which currently forms the government of the UK or any other mainstream party - cannot organise a conference at a public venue for reasons of security and safety.
It was a Tory conference this time. Next it might be a Labour, Lib/Dem, SNP or UKIP event. Whoever the protests are aimed at, allowing them to drive democracy underground is fundamentally wrong.
The Scottish Conservatives sought police advice after finding the websites which the hard left were using to orchestrate protests against the annual West of Scotland Conservative Conference next month, designed to replicate the scenes in Manchester when just about everyone attending CPC15 - including minimum wage cleaners, caterers, and stage assemblers, and journalists covering the conference - had obscenities screamed at them, and some people were also spat at, jostled, or pelted with eggs or plastic balls.
If the report in the Scottish Daily Mail which I have linked to above is correct, the Police Scotland response was that that unless the party could supply its' own security force they would recommend cancellation of the event.
I will not post here the highly critical comments I would make about Police Scotland if I were absolutely certain that this is true, because I don't have concrete proof that it is. The Police Scotland statement said that
"The decision regarding the event was taken by the event organisers in consultation with the proposed venue. Police Scotland officers spoke with the event organisers as a matter of course when a number of options were presented as to the appropriate stewarding requirements for the event."
What is certainly true is that the event was cancelled at the original venue and, I understand, will be reorganised as a private event at an undisclosed location.
It is a sad day for Scotland and for democracy when a mainstream political party - whether it is that which currently forms the government of the UK or any other mainstream party - cannot organise a conference at a public venue for reasons of security and safety.
It was a Tory conference this time. Next it might be a Labour, Lib/Dem, SNP or UKIP event. Whoever the protests are aimed at, allowing them to drive democracy underground is fundamentally wrong.
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