Anna Soubry

Piscarii We haven't LEFT yet ,watch this space.The economy is already on a sticky wicket this will destroy the UK...not that I'm complaining, every stupid decision taken by Westminster brings Scottish Independence nearer .

Brexit has not given people permission to behave this way. A lack of education, parental supervision and a lack of penalty etc has given people permission to act this way.

I have just come across some footage of John McDonnell on the 17/11/2012 he said

"I want to be in a position where no Tory MP can travel anywhere in the country, or show their fave anywhere in public without being challenged, without direct action"

Looks like he got his wish.

It's not just the Rent-a-Mobs - the behaviour of some MPs is deplorable too.

Couldn't agree more Jalima ????

The problem as I see it Paddyann would be the rUK government making as big a pig's ear of letting Scotland go as they have of Brexit.
And they still wouldn't see the irony of the situation.

GG13 yes, McDonnell did say that ( although he wouldn’t like it done to himself of course.)
Citizens have a right to shout and heckle in public and always have done to MP’s.
Are we asking for special treatment for female MP’s, simply because they are women? Just asking, because we can’t have equality for some things and not others.
Another point, I am constantly amazed by the current fashion for interviews ( sometimes lengthy) in the street, rain, snow, high winds etc is is ridiculous, didn’t used to be done and so could go back to studios or rooms in Westminster or anywhere in fact.This would be the answer at a stroke to do away with an angry confrontation.
The police didn’t act because no crime was committed.
There is a danger, for all MP’s both male and female, that a nutter will lunge at them with a knife or a gun in rare instances, so the police could consider keeping the area around College Green free from the public, at least the immediate area near the buildings.

Lemongrove I have often wondered about the trend of “alfresco” interviews/pieces to camera etc.

So the police only act when a crime has been committed? Really? So never preventatively? It wasn’t the heckling it was the jostling and physicality and getting in her way trying to get back into the House. The police saw this and should have protected her as they would in other situations where a group of people were posing a potential risk. As for interviews in the Palace of Westminster - really ? Firstly there is not enough room but more importantly there would be the whole issue of security vetting and passes and the potential for the authorities to deny access and the trouble that could cause. College Green is open to all and it isn’t just about the British media but the foreign press.

Harassment is a crime, the police should have acted. Their non-action is like giving others permission to do the same. I think they have accepted that.

Interviews were carried out indoors until fairly recently.
These al fresco ones are easier for the media to grab passing politicians.It’s like the fashion for newsreaders to stand up to read the news, it looks immediate and edgy ( and silly ).
Of course there will be an appropriate room in Westminster in which to conduct an interview!

...jostling and physicality and getting in her way trying to get back into the House.

Quite so maryeliza54.

It's not just the Rent-a-Mobs - the behaviour of some MPs is deplorable too.

Definitely Jalima1108.

Are you an inHouse manager in Westminster MaryE that you know there wouldn’t be a room? You seem to know so very much ( about everything.) It’s amazing.

Nothing to say about the whole issue of security vetting, security passes, power to decide who to include/exclude then lemon? Have you any idea about the number of interviews going on on College Green at any one time especially when a big story is breaking? Having interviews inside in general is just totally unfeasible - use of rooms just could not be planned for even if the whole security and access issues were resolved ( which they won’t and can’t be)

And yes lemon I do know a great deal about a great deal and am quite amazing.

Oh come now.. don't be shy. Blow your own trumpet a bit..

There have been comments criticising Anna Soubry but I do not care if she is the most unpleasant MP on the planet, what I saw of her being verbally abused (“Nazi, traitor”) jostled and obstructed trying to get back into the House frankly appalled me. The police officers just stood by and watched too. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and am not only disappointed but ashamed of our police force
A policeman was murdered within the precincts of Westminster not so long ago, Jo Cox was stabbed in broad daylight outside her constituency offices - are their memories so short?
It was terrifying, shameful and inexcusable.

There are many known journalists, how do you imagine The White House does it? Security passes are arranged all the time for visitors there (Westminster.)
The point is, that interviews do not need to be carried out in the street and until relatively recently they were not.

Maw well, she thinks so at least.?

MissA ??

Sorry Maw wrong poster!
I do think part of College Green should be kept clear, a bit like Downing St.

You can not compare the WH system of planned regular press conferences for accredited journalists with the need for ad hoc interviews as news breaks - given the way the political situation has been since the referendum, it’s hardly surprising that there are more interviews as news is breaking than can be either done from studios or could ever be organised and planned for in other ways.

There is too much ‘breaking news’ as it’s now called.
Everything has to be immediate and exciting.Until recently there was news and it was reported, but with all the rolling 24 hour news, journalists chase their own tails all day.

I don't particularly like Anna Soubry and many other Mps from all parties and believe there is nothing wrong in heckling but this vile behaviour carries it to another level. If any MP whether male or female cannot go about their business it is a sad state of affairs. It seems to me that whenever there is a issue people feel strongly about the extremely nasty members of society hijack the cause and the decent people cannot express their opinions in this case pro or against Brexit without being treated with utter contempt. This started with young people making terrible remarks about the older generation and Brexit and has now escalated out of control. Whatever happened to decent behaviour and respect for other people's opinions

And there have been interviews on College Green for yonks. Why on earth should all this be changed instead of something being done about the Tommy Robinson supporting fat righters that were allowed to behave so threateningly? Why should they dictate where interviews should be carried out instead of their behaviour having to change?