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Colleagues, and all of thosd observing our proceedings, thank you | :00:00. | :00:08. | |
for that display of respect. Order. Urgent question, Mr Stephen Dowty. | :00:09. | :00:18. | |
Will be Home Secretary make a statement on the terrorism threat | :00:19. | :00:21. | |
and the security measures in the UK in light of the horrible attacks in | :00:22. | :00:30. | |
Orlando? The attacks in Orl`ndo on Saturday night were utterly evil and | :00:31. | :00:33. | |
the Government condemns thel completely. At least 49 people were | :00:34. | :00:39. | |
murdered and a further 53 pdople injured. These people were dnjoying | :00:40. | :00:43. | |
a night out when the attacks took place. Our hearts go out to them, | :00:44. | :00:48. | |
their families and friends. This is the deadliest mass shooting in US | :00:49. | :00:53. | |
history. It was an outrage committed to spread fear and borne out of | :00:54. | :00:58. | |
hatred. As President Obama has said, the US authorities are treating it | :00:59. | :01:04. | |
as a terrorist attack and D`esh have claimed responsibility. Such an | :01:05. | :01:09. | |
attack has its roots in a twisted ideology which counts homophobia as | :01:10. | :01:15. | |
a cornerstone. It was not jtst an act of terror but an act of | :01:16. | :01:20. | |
homophobic hatred and I want to make clear to all LGBT people in Britain | :01:21. | :01:25. | |
and around the world that wd will not tolerate such bigotry and | :01:26. | :01:29. | |
violence. We will work closdly with the US and continue to offer them | :01:30. | :01:34. | |
our assistance and support. We stand shoulder to shoulder with otr allies | :01:35. | :01:39. | |
in the global fight against terrorism, fear and hatred. As the | :01:40. | :01:44. | |
investigation continues, more information will emerge, however we | :01:45. | :01:47. | |
are not aware of any British nationals caught up in the dvents of | :01:48. | :01:52. | |
Saturday night. UK police forces will be further review plans for | :01:53. | :01:56. | |
large-scale and other public events over the coming days and wedks. The | :01:57. | :02:01. | |
police have not advise any organisers to cancel or postpone any | :02:02. | :02:08. | |
LGBT events. Since the start of 2015, we have seen 16 terrorist | :02:09. | :02:12. | |
attacks in Europe including in Brussels and Paris as well `s the | :02:13. | :02:16. | |
atrocity in Nivea which has seen British people killed or injured. | :02:17. | :02:20. | |
There have been many attacks further afield including in Bangladdsh over | :02:21. | :02:26. | |
the weekend. In the last 18 months, the police and security services | :02:27. | :02:29. | |
have disrupted seven terrorhst plots to attack the UK. All were dither | :02:30. | :02:38. | |
link to or inspired by LGBT. The threat of international terrorism | :02:39. | :02:42. | |
remains at severe meaning that an attack is highly likely. In March, | :02:43. | :02:47. | |
the murder of prison officer Adrian is made reminded us that thd thread | :02:48. | :02:50. | |
for Northern Ireland related terrorism also remains. Each time I | :02:51. | :02:55. | |
come before the House following a terrorist attack, I do so in the | :02:56. | :02:59. | |
knowledge that people have died and others are suffering. I notd this | :03:00. | :03:04. | |
House and people around the world of all faiths and none will want to | :03:05. | :03:08. | |
join me in condemning the attack. This Government is determindd to | :03:09. | :03:14. | |
defeat the insidious ideologies that drive extremists. Let us be clear, | :03:15. | :03:18. | |
there can be no justification for the mindless slaughter of innocent | :03:19. | :03:23. | |
people. There can be no hidhng place for those who perpetrate thdse acts | :03:24. | :03:28. | |
and there is no doubt we will fight and we will prevail against the | :03:29. | :03:32. | |
doctrines of hate and fear which lie behind such attacks. Thank xou for | :03:33. | :03:40. | |
granting this question todax. I thank the Home Secretary for her | :03:41. | :03:44. | |
statement. We think are makhng progress and then we are faced with | :03:45. | :03:50. | |
horrors like this. An unspe`kable act of both homophobia and terror, | :03:51. | :03:55. | |
of murder and of hate, and `ttack on the LGBT community and on epual love | :03:56. | :04:01. | |
and equality worldwide. Orl`ndo we stand with you on this Housd. I | :04:02. | :04:07. | |
stand with you as a great m`n and a new millions across this cotntry | :04:08. | :04:13. | |
will do the same. -- gay man. Far too many around this world suffer | :04:14. | :04:18. | |
death and attack every day hn the LGBT community. Throwing off | :04:19. | :04:29. | |
buildings in Syria, castratdd in Saudi Arabia, tortured in Iran or | :04:30. | :04:35. | |
Cameroon, attacked in Ugand` and Ethiopian, across many countries in | :04:36. | :04:40. | |
the middle East and Africa `nd let alone denied basic rights in so many | :04:41. | :04:45. | |
other countries and in parts of our own, but while our gut insthnct is | :04:46. | :04:51. | |
to stand up to the homophobds, haters and terrorists and to go out | :04:52. | :04:54. | |
on pride and out to our clubs and stand with our partners, many will | :04:55. | :04:59. | |
be worried about their safety because from the horrific Admiral | :05:00. | :05:03. | |
Duncan attacks to the many reported an unreported hate crimes against | :05:04. | :05:10. | |
LGBT people, we all know it could have been asked and therefore I | :05:11. | :05:14. | |
wanted to ask the Home Secrdtary three questions. She has | :05:15. | :05:18. | |
acknowledged that homophobi`, trans phobia and hate the digit m`cro | :05:19. | :05:25. | |
appeared to have played a p`rt so can I ask if she will be looking at | :05:26. | :05:30. | |
the threats to all of our communities not least to thd | :05:31. | :05:33. | |
increase in hate crimes in this country. Will she ask all police | :05:34. | :05:46. | |
forces to work closely with their communities and especially prides to | :05:47. | :05:51. | |
ensure community safety, not just in specific event but in bed d`ily | :05:52. | :05:56. | |
fight against hate crime? And what steps will she be doing to tackle | :05:57. | :06:00. | |
any current or emerging thrdats and not least to stop the traffhcking of | :06:01. | :06:08. | |
weapons in this country. Evdry bit of hate will chip away and replace | :06:09. | :06:12. | |
with love is helping to change our world would be better so we must | :06:13. | :06:17. | |
never forget that love wins, even in the end, even in dark, horrhfic | :06:18. | :06:23. | |
crimes and we should go out, stand up against the haters, killdrs, | :06:24. | :06:28. | |
bigots and never forget the slaying of Orlando or of so many who have | :06:29. | :06:35. | |
stood up for love in our history. May I commend the honourabld | :06:36. | :06:38. | |
gentleman for the remarks hd has just made. He has spoken movingly on | :06:39. | :06:43. | |
this issue and I am sure thdy thought he has expressed ard shared | :06:44. | :06:48. | |
and he is right, it is not just a question of standing in this chamber | :06:49. | :06:51. | |
and making statements. It is a question of how we approach these | :06:52. | :06:58. | |
issues more widely, what we do in our day-to-day situations. He asked | :06:59. | :07:02. | |
me three questions. Certainly immigration to the issue of threats | :07:03. | :07:07. | |
of all sorts, of course we to look at all sorts of threats that could | :07:08. | :07:16. | |
pose a risk to the life of fellow citizens. In relation to hate crime, | :07:17. | :07:20. | |
he is right that the figures have gone up. A lot of that will be | :07:21. | :07:25. | |
increased reporting and it hs important people have the confidence | :07:26. | :07:30. | |
to feel able to report thesd crimes. He mentioned the police forces | :07:31. | :07:33. | |
reaction and interaction with groups. It is important the police | :07:34. | :07:39. | |
understand the issues and are able to deal with them appropriately when | :07:40. | :07:43. | |
those crimes are reported and I think progress is being madd. | :07:44. | :07:48. | |
Finally he asked me about fhrearms and we have been working across the | :07:49. | :07:53. | |
European Union on this. There is an enhanced weapons directive that was | :07:54. | :07:58. | |
discussed at the Justice and home affairs Council. We have bedn | :07:59. | :08:01. | |
encouraging and working with Europe of on work they are doing around | :08:02. | :08:07. | |
trafficking of firearms. Thdre was a successful in diction of a firearms | :08:08. | :08:11. | |
and there have been significant sentences of the back of th`t case | :08:12. | :08:16. | |
but we have to do more and ht is important we work with others, | :08:17. | :08:21. | |
looking at where firearms mhght be originating from and ensuring that | :08:22. | :08:23. | |
law enforcement are taking appropriate action. The freddom to | :08:24. | :08:30. | |
be oneself has been hard won in this country over 60 years and as such, | :08:31. | :08:36. | |
the freedoms for LGBT peopld are symbolic of liberty in this country | :08:37. | :08:42. | |
but as indeed is this place, as indeed are the Armed Forces who | :08:43. | :08:46. | |
defend those liberties as indeed are the police and security services who | :08:47. | :08:51. | |
defend those as well. Will she ensured they receive all those | :08:52. | :08:56. | |
symbols of our freedom, recdive the necessary protection becausd | :08:57. | :09:00. | |
undoubtedly they are under threat as symbols of everything we have | :09:01. | :09:05. | |
achieved as a country? He is also right in the remarks that hd makes | :09:06. | :09:09. | |
and can I say, for those colleagues and honourable members across this | :09:10. | :09:15. | |
House who have stood up and proclaimed themselves as gax, that | :09:16. | :09:19. | |
is an important symbol of freedom and it has been an very important | :09:20. | :09:24. | |
statement for people outsidd this House. I believe we have more openly | :09:25. | :09:31. | |
gay MPs than any legislated chamber in the world and that is solething | :09:32. | :09:38. | |
to be proud of. The words of my honourable friend were powerful and | :09:39. | :09:42. | |
intensely moving and will h`ve a reach well beyond this Housd. I want | :09:43. | :09:47. | |
to echo everything he has jtst said and indeed what the Home Secretary | :09:48. | :09:53. | |
has said in condemning on bdhalf of these ventures this sickening | :09:54. | :09:57. | |
attack. The grief of the frhends and families of those who died will be | :09:58. | :10:03. | |
unbearable and we send them our deepest sympathy and solidarity at | :10:04. | :10:07. | |
this time. This was an act of terrorism that targeted the gay | :10:08. | :10:13. | |
community. As such, it brings back memories of 17 years ago, the | :10:14. | :10:17. | |
horrific bomb at the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho in the heart of London's | :10:18. | :10:23. | |
gay village. This targeted hnnocent people and we think today of | :10:24. | :10:28. | |
everyone who was affected bx it If this attack is eventually lhnk to | :10:29. | :10:34. | |
Daesh, it will raise concerns amongst the LGBT community `bout | :10:35. | :10:39. | |
their safety. With that in lind can she assured the House that the | :10:40. | :10:44. | |
police and security services to keep the safety of all communitids but | :10:45. | :10:49. | |
particularly the LGBT community under review? Has she received any | :10:50. | :10:53. | |
intelligence that something similar might happen here. There ard many | :10:54. | :10:59. | |
pride celebrations across the UK including events in London, Brighton | :11:00. | :11:03. | |
and Manchester and people whll be concerned about the securitx of | :11:04. | :11:08. | |
those events. They are planned and staffed by volunteers and most of | :11:09. | :11:12. | |
the organisations pay for the security themselves, so we'll be | :11:13. | :11:16. | |
Home Secretary ensured the organisers receive updated `dvice, | :11:17. | :11:21. | |
support and when necessary additional security to provhde | :11:22. | :11:25. | |
assurance these events are `s safe as possible for all those attending? | :11:26. | :11:31. | |
It seems to be a facet of otr times that there is rising hate, | :11:32. | :11:36. | |
discrimination and inflammatory language re-entering the political | :11:37. | :11:40. | |
discourse. Can the Home Secretary say whether she has seen a poster | :11:41. | :11:46. | |
circulated by leaves. EU whhch sought to use events in Orl`ndo for | :11:47. | :11:51. | |
their own purposes and will she join me in condemning this highlx | :11:52. | :11:55. | |
offensive piece of propaganda? Finally, can I say that the | :11:56. | :12:02. | |
terrorists want to divide otr communities, turn one set of people | :12:03. | :12:07. | |
against another. Can we say to them today on behalf of everybodx in this | :12:08. | :12:11. | |
House that we will never evdr let them succeed in being, inciting | :12:12. | :12:19. | |
hatred against the Muslim and LGBT community. We celebrate the | :12:20. | :12:24. | |
diversity and community in this country. Whatever it takes we will | :12:25. | :12:29. | |
stand alongside the town 1-lacro community and continue to fhght hate | :12:30. | :12:36. | |
and homophobia in all of its forms. The right Honourable gentlelan asked | :12:37. | :12:41. | |
me about the police responsd. As I indicated, the position of the | :12:42. | :12:45. | |
police at the moment is thex have no plans to cancel or postpone any town | :12:46. | :12:51. | |
1-macro events due to take place over the coming days or weeks but | :12:52. | :12:56. | |
there will be making assesslents of that and if there is a need for | :12:57. | :13:01. | |
additional advice or additional action to be taken, they will do | :13:02. | :13:06. | |
that and I am sure the police, when pride events are taking place, | :13:07. | :13:11. | |
police events work closely with organisers to make sure there is | :13:12. | :13:17. | |
appropriate security. He also asks about the leaves. UK poster. I was | :13:18. | :13:22. | |
shown a picture of this. It is utterly irresponsible. This is a | :13:23. | :13:28. | |
terrible and horrific homophobic terrorist attack that is taking | :13:29. | :13:31. | |
place and I think attempts to link it into the issue of membership of | :13:32. | :13:37. | |
the European Union should rhghtly be condemned on all sides of this | :13:38. | :13:45. | |
House. My stomach turn to when I saw the scenes emerging from Orlando and | :13:46. | :13:50. | |
the brutal slaughter of so lany innocent people. I think th`t I | :13:51. | :13:54. | |
speak for the whole house when I say today that we are all LGBT | :13:55. | :14:01. | |
irrespective of our sexuality. I am reassured what she says abott the | :14:02. | :14:08. | |
future festivities, whether it be London or other parts of thd United | :14:09. | :14:12. | |
Kingdom. I think gay people need to feel safe when they are going out in | :14:13. | :14:16. | |
the evening or whether they are going to festivities and I will be | :14:17. | :14:22. | |
going to Soho later this evdning to stand the jewel in memory of those | :14:23. | :14:26. | |
who were slaughtered. She spoke rightly about sending a message | :14:27. | :14:31. | |
throughout the world as well and I asked for the gay pride flag to be | :14:32. | :14:36. | |
flown above embassies and hhgh commissions during the Gay pride | :14:37. | :14:42. | |
week. That did not happen. Will she talked to Cabinet colleagues and the | :14:43. | :14:46. | |
Foreign Secretary to see th`t does does happen in order that wd can | :14:47. | :14:50. | |
send out the message of our support for LGBT throughout the world? | :14:51. | :15:04. | |
I can assure him that I will raise the issue with the Commonwe`lth | :15:05. | :15:12. | |
office. We will fly the flag above the House throughout the appropriate | :15:13. | :15:17. | |
weekend. That is pertinent to what he has just raised not something I | :15:18. | :15:25. | |
needed to announce. On the half of the Scottish National party I'd like | :15:26. | :15:29. | |
to express my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the | :15:30. | :15:34. | |
dead and injured in Orlando and to condemn this terrible outrage | :15:35. | :15:39. | |
unreservedly. I would like to congratulate the local membdr on his | :15:40. | :15:43. | |
very moving words and I'd lhke to thank the Home Secretary for | :15:44. | :15:46. | |
acknowledging these attacks were motivated by homophobia. Shd agree | :15:47. | :15:52. | |
with me it is very important for everyone to acknowledge these | :15:53. | :15:56. | |
attacks were motivated by homophobia, out of respect for the | :15:57. | :15:58. | |
dead and injured but out of recognition of the very real threat | :15:59. | :16:04. | |
of similar attacks on the LGBT community? I am proud to be a member | :16:05. | :16:10. | |
of the LGBT community and in years gone by when I came out 30 xears ago | :16:11. | :16:16. | |
you used to be afraid of gohng into bars for field of assaults `nd | :16:17. | :16:20. | |
violence from onlookers, thdse days are long gone but this shows there | :16:21. | :16:30. | |
are still some idea who want to wreck our plans to coexist. There | :16:31. | :16:39. | |
have to be particular protections to protect the LGBT community from | :16:40. | :16:44. | |
attacks especially through the pride season which is just about to come | :16:45. | :16:49. | |
up. Can she give us the isste in particular precautions will be | :16:50. | :16:54. | |
taken? I can say I entirely agree it is portable all recognise the | :16:55. | :16:58. | |
homophobic nature of the attack that took Leeds in Orlando and it is | :16:59. | :17:03. | |
right, as indicated earlier, that the police look at the security | :17:04. | :17:07. | |
arrangements around the varhous pride events which will takd place | :17:08. | :17:10. | |
but they will also be considering at a local level issues around any | :17:11. | :17:16. | |
other events that take placd or particular venues that are | :17:17. | :17:21. | |
recognised as venues frequented by large numbers of people frol the | :17:22. | :17:26. | |
LGBT community and as indic`ted earlier if additional action is | :17:27. | :17:30. | |
necessary the will, of course, take it. The attacks on Saturday where | :17:31. | :17:36. | |
absolutely deplorable, am I right honourable friend reassured us that | :17:37. | :17:41. | |
while we must remain very alert to these attacks we mustn't allow them | :17:42. | :17:44. | |
to llamas, we must continue with our daily lives because what terrorists | :17:45. | :17:51. | |
are looking for is to an error bars and spoil what we take as a normal | :17:52. | :17:56. | |
routine of life. -- mustn't allow them to alarm as. If we cease to go | :17:57. | :18:03. | |
about our business in our normal way and that people from any colmunity | :18:04. | :18:07. | |
felt they could not carry on living their life as they wish to do so | :18:08. | :18:13. | |
then the terrorist has one. That is why it is very important we are | :18:14. | :18:18. | |
clear in our condemnation of these attacks and as shown by all sides of | :18:19. | :18:23. | |
the housed our intention to fight against the terrible ideology that | :18:24. | :18:28. | |
is fuelling these attacks and that we prevail against that ideology. | :18:29. | :18:32. | |
The whole House would want to associate itself with the comments | :18:33. | :18:37. | |
of the Home Secretary and the Shadow Home Secretary. It is very darly | :18:38. | :18:41. | |
days but claims have been m`de that the suspect involved in this | :18:42. | :18:46. | |
terrible attack had been prdviously interviewed on two occasions by the | :18:47. | :18:52. | |
F E I. Does the Home Secret`ry agree with me that the monitoring of | :18:53. | :18:58. | |
suspects is the highest possible by auditing four hours duty services? | :18:59. | :19:08. | |
-- interviewed by the FBI. @ny information about people le`ving in | :19:09. | :19:13. | |
a way that is not in the norm should be reported to the authorithes and | :19:14. | :19:18. | |
carefully monitored because the public may not know it is ilportant | :19:19. | :19:22. | |
but the security services cdrtainly will. The right honourable gentleman | :19:23. | :19:30. | |
is absolutely correct that we do need to ensure information from | :19:31. | :19:33. | |
communities is made available to the authorities where there are concerns | :19:34. | :19:38. | |
about the behaviour of individuals. As we have seen from attacks that | :19:39. | :19:43. | |
have taken place in various parts of the world, this is not just about | :19:44. | :19:47. | |
groups of people planning attacks but it can just be about an | :19:48. | :19:51. | |
individual who may show signs through the behaviour of thd changed | :19:52. | :19:56. | |
attitude and approach. I wotld encourage communities where they | :19:57. | :19:58. | |
have concerns to make those views known to the authorities so that at | :19:59. | :20:01. | |
least there is nothing of concerned the it can be looked at and insured. | :20:02. | :20:10. | |
As the first openly gay Conservative MP can I welcome the absolute | :20:11. | :20:15. | |
unanimity of this House tod`y in sending a message of support and | :20:16. | :20:20. | |
empathy to the victims and the people of Orlando and may wd hope | :20:21. | :20:25. | |
that America is listening and fully understands the genuine nattre of | :20:26. | :20:37. | |
what we are trying to say. He took an important step many years ago and | :20:38. | :20:41. | |
I remember because I was party chairman at the time. It was these | :20:42. | :20:46. | |
are graphic and step for hil, for the Conservative Party and for | :20:47. | :20:49. | |
politics in general in the TK and, as he says, our thoughts ard with | :20:50. | :20:54. | |
the people of Orlando at thhs time. If memory serves me it was July 2002 | :20:55. | :21:03. | |
so, the 14th anniversary thd roar of will soon be upon us. The intended | :21:04. | :21:10. | |
targets of this vicious and homophobic attack we have bden the | :21:11. | :21:15. | |
LGBT community of Orlando btt we should regard it as an attack on us | :21:16. | :21:20. | |
all the cause a FISA cited when a group is attacked because they are | :21:21. | :21:23. | |
different and they are a wine honesty then it is an attack on us | :21:24. | :21:29. | |
all. That is how we should see it. This is the time for morning but the | :21:30. | :21:34. | |
time for morning will pass eventually. When it does, issued the | :21:35. | :21:39. | |
opportunity presented itself for the Home Secretary to say as thd candid | :21:40. | :21:48. | |
friend to our friends in Amdrica I hope she will say to them they need | :21:49. | :21:53. | |
to look again at the availability of guns in the country. He is right of | :21:54. | :21:59. | |
course this is an attack on the values that we all share and it is | :22:00. | :22:04. | |
an attempt to create division and hatred in society and betwedn | :22:05. | :22:08. | |
communities and we must all resist that and all fight against ht and | :22:09. | :22:11. | |
ensure immunities can come together with one voice and condemn `ttacks | :22:12. | :22:17. | |
of this sort. I think the rhght honourable gentleman will fhnd there | :22:18. | :22:22. | |
will be many people raising the issue of gun control in the United | :22:23. | :22:28. | |
States. One of the most poignant comments I've read on the atrocities | :22:29. | :22:34. | |
in Orlando came from the mother of a young man who is currently | :22:35. | :22:42. | |
unaccounted for. She said wd have relatively few years on this planet, | :22:43. | :22:46. | |
why do we spend so much timd of it hating each other? This atrocity had | :22:47. | :22:53. | |
the terrorist link that so lany attacks on us are not. Can the Home | :22:54. | :22:57. | |
Secretary reassured me she will work with colleagues in government to do | :22:58. | :23:01. | |
everything this government can to stamp out homophobia and tr`nsport | :23:02. | :23:06. | |
the through things like school anti-bullying programmes right | :23:07. | :23:11. | |
across government? It is so important. He is absolutely right. | :23:12. | :23:17. | |
This is an issue that has a wider resonance and we need to ensure we | :23:18. | :23:22. | |
are doing, a lot has alreadx been done, but I suggest this is not | :23:23. | :23:26. | |
something that we can say at any point in time we have done `ll the | :23:27. | :23:31. | |
work we need to do will stop we need to ensure that rogue educathon the | :23:32. | :23:36. | |
attitudes we shall and that the government and politicians show that | :23:37. | :23:40. | |
we are all one community and we shall resist those who attelpt to | :23:41. | :23:45. | |
divide us and attempt to sort hatred of whatever sort in our comlunities. | :23:46. | :23:53. | |
Can I add the sympathies of my own party, the DUP, our thoughts and | :23:54. | :23:55. | |
prayers are very much with those involved. Thoughts are with those on | :23:56. | :24:07. | |
the ground to worked to givd first aid and event more deaths. This is | :24:08. | :24:13. | |
the latest example of those who commit murder that are on the radar. | :24:14. | :24:20. | |
They are seen as low security but BR more than ever resorting to wicked | :24:21. | :24:26. | |
criminality. Is it now time to review the security system `nd | :24:27. | :24:30. | |
especially those who featurd on the so-called lower levels? I s`y do the | :24:31. | :24:38. | |
honourable gentleman that hd is right. The job the security services | :24:39. | :24:43. | |
do DN and day out is a diffhcult and complex one and by definition may | :24:44. | :24:49. | |
have two decide those who are at most potential risk in terms of the | :24:50. | :24:52. | |
potential for them to do actions but the task they face has been made | :24:53. | :24:58. | |
more difficult I the fact pdople can be inspired simply by sitting at | :24:59. | :25:02. | |
home looking at things on the Internet which can inspire them to | :25:03. | :25:05. | |
go out and commit terrible atrocities. It is the job otr | :25:06. | :25:09. | |
security services and law enforcement do very well, they do it | :25:10. | :25:15. | |
everyday of the week. They keep us safe and they should once again in | :25:16. | :25:19. | |
this House thank them and show gratitude to them for all that they | :25:20. | :25:26. | |
do. I am sure the Home Secrdtary will agree that to use this incident | :25:27. | :25:31. | |
to debate around border control ignores the fact it was an `ttack in | :25:32. | :25:37. | |
the United States by a US chtizen who was able to give vent to his | :25:38. | :25:43. | |
murderous feelings because of the lack of gun control. Would she agree | :25:44. | :25:49. | |
the level of prejudice which turns into hatred is something we must do | :25:50. | :25:56. | |
about in this country. He is right that dealing with that level of | :25:57. | :26:00. | |
ignorance is crucial in enstring we do not see these sorts of attitudes | :26:01. | :26:07. | |
and are able to deal with them. On gun control are we not very | :26:08. | :26:11. | |
fortunate indeed that they brought in education in the closing years of | :26:12. | :26:16. | |
the last century and which, indeed, as been very good for the country to | :26:17. | :26:22. | |
say the least? The Home Secretary mentioned Bangladesh isn't ht the | :26:23. | :26:26. | |
case that in recent weeks, `theists and freethinkers have been lurdered | :26:27. | :26:34. | |
as well these and as well as the atrocity that occurred on Stnday in | :26:35. | :26:38. | |
the United States we should not think and forget for one molent what | :26:39. | :26:43. | |
has been happening in Bangl`desh in other places. People murderdd by | :26:44. | :26:46. | |
Islamist 's for only that they disagreed over the sexualitx or lack | :26:47. | :26:54. | |
of religion as the case may be. He is absolutely right. We havd some of | :26:55. | :27:00. | |
if not the most tough gun controls in the world in this countrx. Those | :27:01. | :27:07. | |
were born out of tragedy here in the United Kingdom. He is also right | :27:08. | :27:13. | |
that it is important for us. This was the attack in Orlando which was | :27:14. | :27:16. | |
significant in the size of the attack, the biggest loss of life in | :27:17. | :27:21. | |
a mass shooting in the Unitdd States but there are atrocities behng | :27:22. | :27:26. | |
undertaken elsewhere in the world in the name of this terrible w`r | :27:27. | :27:32. | |
Islamist ideology and that hs why it is so important for us to ddfeat | :27:33. | :27:40. | |
that ideology. Homophobia c`n very sadly be part of the daily reality | :27:41. | :27:45. | |
for LGBT people at home and abroad. What makes this attack parthcularly | :27:46. | :27:52. | |
upsetting is that this took place in our gay club which is one of the few | :27:53. | :27:57. | |
places and LGBT person can feel safe to love publicly. What reassuring to | :27:58. | :28:04. | |
be given to my constituents that it is safe to take part in these | :28:05. | :28:08. | |
celebrations of our diverse community? What conversations she | :28:09. | :28:14. | |
having with the Secretary of State for Education to tackle homophobia | :28:15. | :28:19. | |
in schools and have education that says Love is stronger than hate I | :28:20. | :28:24. | |
can get the assurance again that the lease will be making assesslents of | :28:25. | :28:33. | |
security around events and venues for the LGBT community. If `ny | :28:34. | :28:36. | |
action is necessary evil take that action. She will have heard some of | :28:37. | :28:48. | |
the questions being raised `nd as Minister for equalities she has to | :28:49. | :28:54. | |
take it seriously. I can ensure the honourable lady that in looking at | :28:55. | :28:59. | |
some of these issues that whsh to divide our communities and sold | :29:00. | :29:03. | |
hatred, we worked very closdly with the Department for Education. | :29:04. | :29:10. | |
I associate myself with the comments of the Home Secretary and other | :29:11. | :29:18. | |
members. The atrocities in Orlando where directed at members of the | :29:19. | :29:25. | |
LGBT community, my communitx. This act of clear homophobic hatd crime | :29:26. | :29:36. | |
and is a stark reminder of what the LGBT continues to face. Does the | :29:37. | :29:43. | |
Minister agree with me that we must make every effort to challenge all | :29:44. | :29:47. | |
forms of Homer the big hate crime and agreed that love is lovd? I | :29:48. | :29:53. | |
agree with the Commons the honourable lady has put on the | :29:54. | :29:59. | |
record here in this helps two house and it is important we take that | :30:00. | :30:05. | |
message out and about. We absolutely condemned this sort of hatrdd. In my | :30:06. | :30:13. | |
constituency of Ilford North, Muslims don't murder gay people | :30:14. | :30:17. | |
they elect them and I know that I speak on behalf of all the diverse | :30:18. | :30:23. | |
faith communities in my constituency in sending our solidarity to the | :30:24. | :30:29. | |
LGBT community in Orlando. This attack was not a lone wolf. It may | :30:30. | :30:34. | |
be an uncomfortable truth for some people in this country that just | :30:35. | :30:39. | |
because he carried bullet does not mean the prejudice they carry makes | :30:40. | :30:44. | |
them any better and so can H ask the Home Secretary to work with the | :30:45. | :30:48. | |
Secretary of State for Educ`tion to ensure the excellent work t`king | :30:49. | :30:53. | |
place in schools to tackle bullying is further built upon to make sure | :30:54. | :30:59. | |
that every child is taught that in this country, in standing up for | :31:00. | :31:05. | |
human rights we do not tolerate or accept discrimination against people | :31:06. | :31:08. | |
on the base of their sexual orientation. It is important that we | :31:09. | :31:21. | |
ensure... That we give that very clear message of values unddrpinning | :31:22. | :31:27. | |
our society here in the UK. One of those values is absolute respect for | :31:28. | :31:31. | |
everybody, regardless of thdir sexuality, background, ethnhcity or | :31:32. | :31:38. | |
faith or none. It is very ilportant that we ensure that those v`lues are | :31:39. | :31:49. | |
being taught. The Home Secrdtary has express the views of us all in this | :31:50. | :31:52. | |
and I think it has been the unanimously of the House th`t has | :31:53. | :31:57. | |
been impressive and we should communicate that to all the people | :31:58. | :32:02. | |
who have lost loved ones in this atrocity. It is true that the | :32:03. | :32:07. | |
motivation for this outrage was hatred and terror but the thing that | :32:08. | :32:12. | |
enabled it was the availability of guns. More American citizens have | :32:13. | :32:17. | |
been murdered in mass shoothngs than all the Americans killed in wars | :32:18. | :32:22. | |
since the Civil War up to Iraq and will she personally commit to | :32:23. | :32:26. | |
raising with the American government our concern that if they continue | :32:27. | :32:33. | |
not to act on this, they will lose more of their citizens to this | :32:34. | :32:40. | |
hatred and terror. This is the whole issue of gun availability. Ht is an | :32:41. | :32:45. | |
important part of the issue. As I indicated earlier, there ard many | :32:46. | :32:51. | |
voices within the United St`tes sadly on both sides of the `rgument | :32:52. | :32:55. | |
because there are those who strongly claimed that the right to c`rry arms | :32:56. | :33:00. | |
should enable these sorts of guns to be more freely available and other | :33:01. | :33:04. | |
presents, but it is right, ht is something I am happy to raise with | :33:05. | :33:09. | |
the American administration because I think it is an important hssue. We | :33:10. | :33:14. | |
can see the dangers, we havd been through the experience here of | :33:15. | :33:19. | |
suffering a tragedy which ldd to us tightening up our gun laws `nd we | :33:20. | :33:23. | |
are grateful for the fact that we have the toughest gun laws hn the | :33:24. | :33:30. | |
world. I am a gay man and ldt us all say unambiguously what happdned in | :33:31. | :33:34. | |
Orlando yesterday, it was a premeditated slaughter of g`y people | :33:35. | :33:42. | |
because they were gay by a lan who had been outraged because hd saw two | :33:43. | :33:46. | |
men kissing. It was the worst mass killing of gay people in our | :33:47. | :33:51. | |
lifetime. Will she agreed that homophobia is not intrinsic to the | :33:52. | :33:57. | |
human condition? It is too often taught in homes, classrooms and | :33:58. | :34:01. | |
playgrounds and in places of worship so anyone who has ever wincdd when | :34:02. | :34:09. | |
they saw two men kissing, or who has invoked God in justification for | :34:10. | :34:14. | |
human prejudice is complicit in creating a climate of poisonous | :34:15. | :34:17. | |
intolerance. With the Home Secretary agree with me that love and | :34:18. | :34:22. | |
tolerance should serve as the epitaph for those who have died so | :34:23. | :34:29. | |
monstrously? The honourable gentleman is right and I thhnk we | :34:30. | :34:34. | |
should take that message of love and tolerance and we should be very | :34:35. | :34:40. | |
clear that the sort of prejtdices that can be taught, encouraged and | :34:41. | :34:46. | |
sadly in some places are behng taught and are being encour`ged | :34:47. | :34:50. | |
Those are prejudices we can dump. They are not part of the society we | :34:51. | :34:55. | |
wish to live in, the values that we share, the tolerance and respect for | :34:56. | :34:58. | |
others that we want to see `cross the United Kingdom. I would like to | :34:59. | :35:09. | |
put on record my condemnation of these attacks in Orlando. Ghven that | :35:10. | :35:14. | |
Isis is pushed back in parts of the Middle East, and fighters are | :35:15. | :35:20. | |
struggling for their strongholds, if she satisfied that extra me`sures | :35:21. | :35:27. | |
are put in place for extra fighters coming in to the UK? We look at | :35:28. | :35:35. | |
people who are returning on a case-by-case basis to see what | :35:36. | :35:40. | |
action is necessary. We did in the counterterrorism Security act | :35:41. | :35:43. | |
increase the powers of the police, not least with the orders that we | :35:44. | :35:49. | |
introduced that do enabled the temporary exclusion orders that | :35:50. | :35:52. | |
enabled the police to work with other countries in Europe, but | :35:53. | :35:58. | |
places where people might bd returning from Syria into the UK to | :35:59. | :36:03. | |
be able to manage the return of that individual and weak freight closely | :36:04. | :36:06. | |
with colleagues in the EU on these matters. In light of this horrific | :36:07. | :36:14. | |
homophobic attack in Orlando, will she urgently support the call from | :36:15. | :36:19. | |
across the House for compulsory sexual relationship education in all | :36:20. | :36:23. | |
of our schools, to educate dveryone that love is love and it's OK to be | :36:24. | :36:30. | |
yourself. No one should fear coming out all being themselves, especially | :36:31. | :36:33. | |
after this horrific event, so does she agree we need to take every | :36:34. | :36:38. | |
opportunity to educate our children so that extremist prejudice does not | :36:39. | :36:43. | |
take hold? It is important hn education that we ensure evdrything | :36:44. | :36:50. | |
is being done to ensure extremist prejudice does not take hold. This | :36:51. | :36:55. | |
is something I know the Secretary of State of education is looking at. | :36:56. | :36:58. | |
The Defence Secretary has written to me to say that 850 UK link | :36:59. | :37:04. | |
individual of national security concern have travelled to t`ke part | :37:05. | :37:07. | |
in the Syrian conflict and just under half have returned. Could she | :37:08. | :37:16. | |
say how many of those over 400 citizens are on that managed return | :37:17. | :37:21. | |
scheme that she talked about, making sure we know who they are t`lking to | :37:22. | :37:26. | |
and what they are doing? I fear there may be a misunderstanding of | :37:27. | :37:31. | |
what the scheme is about. It is about an individual. The issue as to | :37:32. | :37:38. | |
what taken for an individual once they have returned to the UK, which | :37:39. | :37:44. | |
is determined on a case-by-case matter is a separate matter. I would | :37:45. | :37:50. | |
like to associate myself with the use of this House. Given thd | :37:51. | :37:56. | |
atrocity in Orlando, home-grown terrorism has been recognisdd as a | :37:57. | :38:01. | |
significant risk. Radicalis`tion may be occurring in UK prisons. What | :38:02. | :38:06. | |
policies are being introducdd to address this very important issue? | :38:07. | :38:14. | |
The Secretary of State for Justice has initiated a review of the issue | :38:15. | :38:19. | |
of extremism in prisons and the Home Office will be working with the | :38:20. | :38:23. | |
Ministry of Justice when it is possible to work on the | :38:24. | :38:26. | |
recommendations from that rdview. We are clear of the importance of an | :38:27. | :38:31. | |
environment where it is possible for terrorist offenders to come into | :38:32. | :38:36. | |
contact with serious and organised criminals, that we need to lake sure | :38:37. | :38:39. | |
that is managed carefully btt also we deal with the need two potential | :38:40. | :38:49. | |
for radicalisation. A number of countries have sent messages of | :38:50. | :38:52. | |
solidarity with the United States and the people of Orlando, but a | :38:53. | :38:57. | |
number of those countries themselves have the death penalty for | :38:58. | :39:03. | |
homosexuality and have arrested hundreds of people, including Egypt | :39:04. | :39:07. | |
in the last two years and S`udi Arabia. Isn't it time that `ll those | :39:08. | :39:12. | |
countries came into the 21st-century and recognise they have too much | :39:13. | :39:16. | |
their words with deeds and legislation? I think, certahnly I | :39:17. | :39:23. | |
and other members are very clear on our views on issues around the death | :39:24. | :39:30. | |
penalty, particularly on thd sorts of issues that the honourable | :39:31. | :39:34. | |
gentleman has raised. These are issues which are regularly raised by | :39:35. | :39:39. | |
British ministers when they are in discussion with those countries Can | :39:40. | :39:46. | |
I begin by thanking you for the extraordinary leadership yot have | :39:47. | :39:50. | |
shown but more widely the w`y in which you have established xourself | :39:51. | :39:57. | |
as a friend of the LGBT comlunity. Mr Speaker, the ostentatious flair | :39:58. | :40:02. | |
of my community may be slightly restrained for the next few days as | :40:03. | :40:05. | |
we think of those who were needlessly taken from us, btt | :40:06. | :40:10. | |
despite that, the rainbow flag still flies high and proud over Pride | :40:11. | :40:16. | |
season. It flies high because too long has passed between now and the | :40:17. | :40:20. | |
days gone by when we spent time living anonymously and in fdar. The | :40:21. | :40:26. | |
solidarity is stronger than fear so will be Home Secretary join courage | :40:27. | :40:30. | |
in all our friends and allids across the country to go to go to ` Pride | :40:31. | :40:37. | |
march this summer, to give loney to a LGBT charity, to stand up for the | :40:38. | :40:42. | |
kid in your school being picked on? Those kind of acts, I promise you | :40:43. | :40:49. | |
will not regret. I think he raises an important point which gods to the | :40:50. | :40:52. | |
heart of the initial comments made by the honourable gentleman the | :40:53. | :40:58. | |
member for Cardiff, who madd the point it is not about standhng up | :40:59. | :41:01. | |
and saying things, it is about doing as well. I would encourage people to | :41:02. | :41:11. | |
do so. I thank the honourable gentleman for Cardiff South. The | :41:12. | :41:20. | |
Home Secretary, the saddo Home Secretarys Shadow Home Secrdtary and | :41:21. | :41:23. | |
all colleagues for what thex have said over the last 40 minutds or so | :41:24. | :41:29. | |
and for the obviously sincere eloquence and compelling wax in | :41:30. | :41:36. | |
which they have said it. I hope that in the light of the sentiments | :41:37. | :41:42. | |
expressed by colleagues thex will approve when I say that on their | :41:43. | :41:47. | |
behalf and in all of our nales, I intend to write to the Mayor of | :41:48. | :41:59. | |
Orlando. In doing so I writd both to convey our profound shock and our | :42:00. | :42:07. | |
absolute sympathy and to underline the fact of our complete solidarity | :42:08. | :42:24. | |
with the LGBT community in Orlando, with the LGBT community across the | :42:25. | :42:28. | |
United States and indeed with all of the people of the United St`tes at | :42:29. | :42:33. | |
this exceptionally difficult and trying time. Point of order. Mr Ian | :42:34. | :42:49. | |
Blackford. I am delighted as I rise to make a point of order th`t the | :42:50. | :42:50. |