Tuesday, 30 May 2017

When Corbyn was praised by Conservative minister for taking terrorism seriously


Jeremy Corbyn was attacked last night in the Sky/Channel 4 debate by an Irish audience member called Callum for ”openly supporting the IRA in the past. The question came after a week of articles and features in the conservative press, especially the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph, with acres of  newsprint on Jeremy Corbyn’s many past meetings, or joint platforms in public events, with individuals or groups dubbed as ‘terrorists’, including Sinn Fein and  various Palestinian organizations, including Hamas, which currently runs the Gaza strip in Palestine.

Corbyn has a long nearly forty year record in Parliament of scrutinising  anti-terrorism legislation –  by both Labour and Conservative Governments. Here is what Corbyn said in one such debate  in 1990, on so-called ‘Prevention of Terrorism’ legislation

Mr. Jeremy Corbyn (Islington, North)

I oppose the order. I draw to the attention of the House the fact that the first person in this country to be arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act was Paul Hill, a constituent of mine, who was arrested after the Guildford arid Woolwich pub bombings. It later transpired not only that he was not in Guildford or Woolwich and, therefore, did not plant any of the bombs—he was not guilty and could not have been—but that the other three who were imprisoned as a result of confessions that were extracted from them under the Prevention of Terrorism Act could not have been guilty. They served 15 years in prison and an enormous campaign was mounted for their release. They were released because of that campaign, the widespread national and international support that they received arid the admission that was finally made by the Director of Public Prosecutions that he had no further evidence to offer against them. Lord Lane acquitted them and the Home Secretary appeared at the Dispatch Box to make a statement on the acquittal.

​And here is what the minister replied:

11.26 pm

§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. John Patten)

I am glad to follow the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn), who is the only Labour Back-Bench Member to get up and debate the issue, which I think is one of great importance. As I have told him before, I am aware of how seriously he takes these issues and I respect the way in which he deals with them—even though, as he knows, there is quite a gulf between our attitudes.

(HC Deb 06 March 1990 vol 168 cc819-45 819 10.15 pm

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1990/mar/06/prevention-of-terrorism)

 

In the same  Sky/Channel Four ‘debate’, Mrs May insisted the Conservatives had increased the support for the police and the anti-terror apparatus of government. But a memorandum sub mitted to the Home Affairs Select Committee  just  a month ago, states the exact opposite, as is detailed below:

​

Resource DEL by Estimate section
£m
Estimate Section
2017-18 Main Estimate
2016-17 Supplementary Estimate
Change
Change (%)
Crime Policing & Fire Group
8,514.7
8,366.0
148.7
1.8%
Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
824.5
856.3
-31.8
-3.7%
Immigration Enforcement
410.7
422.3
-11.6
-2.8%
UK Visas & Immigration
-497.6
-517.9
20.3
-3.9%
International & Immigration Policy
57.4
142.8
-85.4
-59.8%
Border Force
552.3
500.2
52.1
10.4%
HM Passport Office
-146.2
-149.8
3.6
-2.4%
Enablers
696.0
831.7
-135.7
-16.3%
Arms Length Bodies (Net)
94.4
121.3
-26.9
-22.2%
European Solidarity Mechanism (Net)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0%
DUP
4.1
0.0
4.1
Resource DEL
10,510.4
10,573.1
-62.7
-0.6%
Resource DEL (Programme) by Estimate section
£m
Estimate Section
2017-18 Main Estimate
2016-17 Supplementary Estimate
Change
Change (%)
Crime Policing & Fire Group
8,456.2
8,325.9
130.3
1.56%
Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
779.1
809.7
-30.6
-3.78%
Immigration Enforcement
403.7
416.1
-12.4
-2.98%
UK Visas & Immigration
-511.1
-535.5
24.4
-4.56%
International & Immigration Policy
34.4
120.6
-86.2
-71.48%
Border Force
549.4
498.5
50.9
10.21%
HM Passport Office
-145.8
-135.4
-10.4
7.68%
Enablers
502.6
619.7
-117.1
-18.9%
Arms Length Bodies (Net)
94.4
100.8
-6.4
-6.35%
European Solidarity Mechanism (Net)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.00%
DUP
0.0
0.0
0.0
Resource DEL Programme
10,163.0
10,220.6
-57.6
-0.56%
Capital DEL by Estimate section
£m
Estimate Section
2017-18 Main Estimate
2016-17 Supplementary Estimate
Change
Change (%)
Crime Policing & Fire Group
151.6
82.3
69.3
84.1%
Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
122.0
105.5
16.5
15.7%
Immigration Enforcement
18.4
3.1
15.3
491.9%
UK Visas & Immigration
76.3
0.0
76.3
International & Immigration Policy
0.7
0.7
0.0
0.0%
Border Force
71.4
70.8
0.6
0.8%
HM Passport Office
14.5
14.3
0.2
1.4%
Enablers
50.6
183.0
-132.4
-72.4%
Arms Length Bodies (Net)
10.5
22.2
-11.7
-52.7%
DUP
0.0
0.0
0.0
Capital DEL
515.9
481.9
34.0
7.1%
AME by Estimate section
£m
Estimate Section
2017-18 Main Estimate
2016-17 Supplementary Estimate
Change
Change (%)
AME Charges
4.9
82.9
-78.0
-94.1%
o/w
Crime Policing & Fire Group
4.9
82.9
-78.0
-94.1%
Police and Fire Superannuation
2,493.0
2,351.9
141.0
6.0%
AME Charges Arms Length Bodies (Net)
0.0
38.0
-38.0
-100%
Resource AME
2,497.8
2,472.8
25.0
1.0%
Police and Fire Superannuation
0.0
3.1
-3.1
-100%
Capital AME
0.0
3.1

Estimates Memoranda

·          Home Office Main Estimates 2017-18 - Memorandum (pdf PDF 519.2 KB)Opens in a new windowPublished 25 April 2017

HOME OFFICE MAIN ESTIMATE 2017-18: EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Introduction

The primary purpose of this Memorandum is to provide the Committee with an overview of the changes between the final position for 2016-17, as shown below and the opening position for 2017-18, as shown in the Main Estimate.

The Main Estimate reflects the priorities agreed between the Home Office and Treasury in the 2015 Spending Review settlement and subsequent fiscal events.

(http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/home-affairs/Home-Office-Main-Estimates-17-18.pdf)
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)