Thread by @guyshrubsole

MPs are starting to debate the 'Don't Criminalise Trespass' petition I started over a year ago.

The #PoliceCrackdownBill will criminalise trespass with intent to reside - severely impacting Travellers & homeless people, criminalising protest camps & potentially wild camping. 1/n

Katherine Fletcher MP (South Ribble) is opening the debate. She recounts how she's spoken to me, @GypsyTravellers & @RamblersGB, and also the NFU and CLA. 2/n parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/40…

Katherine Fletcher MP admits to occasionally trespassing herself, often with a mountain bike.

#DontCriminaliseTrespass

3/n

'Discouraging rambling should not be a consequence of this Bill' says Katherine Fletcher MP.

She relates how access groups, including @RamblersGB and others, have raised concerns about the chilling impact the Bill could have on people's willingness to access the countryside. 4/n

Wild camping is currently only legal on Dartmoor, Katherine Fletcher MP explains; perhaps the byelaws that govern it could be a model for extending wild camping elsewhere, she suggests.

#DontCriminaliseTrespass 5/n

I look forward to hearing from the Minister what the Govt can say to assuage concerns that this Bill will not impact on access, says Katherine Fletcher MP.

She raises the concerns of landowners and groups like the NFU and CLA.

6/n

Katherine Fletcher MP relates how she spoke to @GypsyTravellers about the Bill.

Police powers to seize vehicles could mean Travellers have their homes taken from them.

Surely, she suggests, there has to be adequate provision of legal Traveller sites.

7/n

A bicycle could constitute a vehicle under the Police Bill, and so wild camping by cyclists could still be criminalised as a result of this, says Katherine Fletcher MP. Can the Minister assuage concerns about this, she asks.

8/n

The Traveller community has concerns the threat this Bill poses to their way of life, says Katherine Fletcher MP, a concern shared by the petitioners.

9/n

Now Andy Slaughter MP (Labour, Hammersmith & Fulham) speaking in #DontCriminaliseTrespass debate.

There is no reason to criminalise trespass, he says, and if the petition had not closed after 6 months we would have seen many more than 134,000 signatures.

10/n

The Govt has responded to the petition trying to assuage people concerned about access to the countryside, says Andy Slaughter MP, but no one has been convinced.

He cites the Ramblers' briefings on this, see e.g. this joint letter by access groups: cpre.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

11/n

Andy Slaughter MP turns to the group who would clearly be most affected by the Policing Bill - the Gypsy, Roma & Traveller community - who are already one of the most discriminated against and marginalised of groups in this country, he says.

12/n

With so few legal Traveller campsites and stopping places made available by councils, says Andy Slaughter MP, is it any wonder that some encampments are made on private land.

13/n

It's a good thing that trespass is a civil law and not a criminal one, says Andy Slaughter MP.

Criminalising trespass with intent to reside is dog-whistle politics by the Home Secretary, he says. He cites the Pontins scandal as an instance of anti-traveller discrimination. 14/n

Police forces themselves do not think this legislation is necessary, says Andy Slaughter MP, pointing to @GypsyTravellers work on this - see theguardian.com/world/2019/nov…

15/n

David Simmonds MP (Con, Ruislip, Northwood & Pinner) nails his colours to the mast:

"I strongly support efforts to protect land and property from trespass"

16/n

David Simmonds MP states that trespass in Scotland is a criminal offence.

He is technically correct, but omits to mention that there is a FULL RIGHT TO ROAM across Scotland (outwith of people's gardens), thereby rendering the criminal offence of trespass somewhat obsolete. 17/n

David Simmonds MP highlights an instance of damage to land by an unauthorised encampment.

He does not mention that the Criminal Justice Act 1994 already gives the Police ample (indeed, too many) powers to tackle aggravated trespass, and other laws prohibit criminal damage. 18/n

Margaret Greenwood MP (Lab, Wirral West) says she's pleased to speak out against the criminalisation of trespass, and that trespass is part of the rich tradition of winning access to the countryside.

She cites Wordsworth and the recent 70th anniversary of National Parks.

19/n

Margaret Greenwood MP says that we need to remember how campaigners and protest groups have ensured we have access to the countryside - such as the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass of 1932, which led to the establishment of National Parks & later the CRoW Act 2000. Yes!

20/n

'The Kinder Scout trespass was the most successful example of direct action in British history' says Margaret Greenwood MP, echoing Roy Hattersley.

She highlights concerns from access groups about the Govt's Policing Bill around criminalising trespass.

21/n

The Bill will clearly impact on Gypsy, Roma and Travellers, says Margaret Greenwood MP. It will criminalise the nomadic way of life of Travellers, merely for existing.

She says she was shocked by the comments of the previous speaker, David Simmonds MP.

22/n

'No one should be made a criminal for living a nomadic way of life' says Margaret Greenwood MP.

Nor should the Policing Bill be restricting our hard-won right to protest, she says, citing the direct action tactics of the Suffragettes and anti-fracking groups.

23/n

Margaret Greenwood highlights how the anti-fracking movement made use of protest camps (which the Govt's Policing Bill would criminalise).

The Govt itself now accepts that fracking is a bad thing and has put in place an indefinite moratorium on it.

24/n

Catherine West MP (Hornsey & Wood Green) says the 600 people who signed the 'Don't Criminalise Trespass' petition in her constituency clearly care deeply about access to nature, something that has been highlighted repeatedly by coronavirus lockdowns, she says.

25/n

We must be able to enjoy the countryside and staycations this summer without the fear of trespass, says Catherine West MP - & also landowners can put up hostile signs deterring access.

She also talks about how ecologists doing wildlife surveys need to sometimes trespass!

26/n

'It was dispiriting and concerning to hear other members demeaning Gypsies and Travellers' during 2nd reading of the Policing Bill, says Catherine West MP. GRT communities are already amongst the most discriminated against groups in Britain.

27/n

The Govt should listen to campaigners and allow for better access to the countryside, rather than engage in attacks on minority groups, concludes Catherine West MP.

28/n

Barbara Keeley MP (Lab, Worsley and Eccles South) says she is very concerned by the Policing Bill's proposals to criminalise trespass, at a time when access to the countryside is gradually opening up to more diverse communities.

29/n

This Bill could deter people accessing the countryside, at a time when visits to parks has massively increased, says Barbara Keeley MP.

Access to green space is already unequal, and this would be a further retrograde step, she says.

30/n

'When it comes to Gypsy, Roma & Traveller communities, the Govt never learns', says Mary Kelly Foy MP (Lab, City of Durham). There is huge racism against GRT communities already, and this Bill is a direct attack on the nomadic way of life.

31/n

When the Govt consulted on criminalising trespass, the great majority of police forces responded saying they already had sufficient powers to deal with unauthorised encampments, says Mary Kelly Foy MP.

At the heart of this Bill is a form of racism, she says.

32/n

'Politicians don't stop and think before blaming certain communities', says Mary Kelly Foy MP. No-one is excusing litter and rubbish, she says, but we have a racism problem when one section of society - Gypsies, Roma & Travellers - are blamed so relentlessly.

33/n

'Another way is possible,' says Mary Kelly Foy MP. Why is the Govt not pursuing negotiated stopping places, she asks. She quotes Tony Benn: 'The way a Govt treats refugees... shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could' - same true w/ Travellers 34/n

Now @_OliviaBlake MP (Lab, Sheffield Hallam) is speaking out against the criminalisation of trespass.

Sheffield residents trespassing on the moors were crucial in getting National Parks and greater access to the countryside established. She cites the Kinder Scout trespass. 35/n

'We should look to *extend* our access to green spaces' says @_OliviaBlake MP. She says she is proud to stand on the shoulders of the ramblers and trespassers who have come before. 36/n

Martin Docherty-Hughes (SNP, West Dunbartonshire) is now speaking.

He says that Holyrood would certainly not seek to criminalise trespass in Scotland in the way this Bill does in England & Wales.

37/n

Blaming Gypsies, Roma and Travellers for all manner of social ills is endemic, racist and highly concerning, says Martin Docherty-Hughes MP.

We should be enshrining the right to travel, and re-open ancient stopping places, for Travellers.

38/n

Martin Docherty-Hughes MP says the Govt should be investing in more legal campsites and stopping places, rather than seek to further marginalise Travellers.

39/n

England's ancient stopping places for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers should be re-established too, not just in Scotland, says Martin Docherty-Hughes, and urges the UK Govt to consider this.

40/n

Martin Docherty-Hughes MP talks about how Scotland's Right to Roam has been hugely beneficial, and how National Parks work with the public to educate them and reduce instances of littering.

41/n

Sarah Jones MP (Lab, Croydon Central) is now responding as Opposition Spokesperson (she's leading Labour's response to the Police Bill as it goes through Committee).

She thanks everyone who signed the Don't Criminalise Trespass petition & all the NGOs working on this issue.
42/n

It's not surprising that over 134,000 people signed this petition opposing the criminalisation of trespass, says Sarah Jones MP.

She says that the vast majority of people who also undertook the Petitions Committee survey were very concerned at the impact of these proposals. 43/n

The criminalisation of trespass will impact on the nomadic way of life of Gypsies, Roma & Travellers, says Sarah Jones MP, as well as on the wider public's access to the countryside.

The broad way the Bill is drafted even criminalises the 'intention' to reside on land. 44/n

The Bill is so broadly worded, it could even criminalise wild camping under the stars, says Sarah Jones MP.

And the impact on Gypsy, Roma & Traveller communities is clearly so great it could be in breach of the Equalities Act 2010.

45/n

The police already think they have the powers they need to deal with unauthorised encampments, says Sarah Jones MP. No new criminal trespass offence is required.

Why is the govt seeking to criminalise trespass through the #PoliceBill, she asks.

46/n

'Why is the Govt so determined to lock up Gypsies and Travellers even against the advice of the police?', Sarah Jones MP asks.

More authorised campsites ought to be provided instead, she says.

47/n

We all abhor litter and rubbish, but this Bill adds nothing useful to the laws that already exist to tackle this, says Sarah Jones MP.

48/n

Can the Minister assure us that the Policing Bill's provisions to criminalise trespass and impact on Gypsy, Roma & Traveller communities are not in breach of the Human Rights and Equalities Acts?, Sarah Jones MP asks.

49/n

Kit Malthouse MP, Minister for Policing, is responding on behalf of Govt.

'Those wishing to enjoy the countryside will not be prevented from doing so by this offence', he says -disingenuously: what of wild camping, and what of Travellers' right to live a nomadic way of life?
50/

Minister Kit Malthouse claims that the intention of the Bill is not to criminalise wild camping. So will he be amending the Bill to make this clear?

And what will he be doing to make sure that Travellers, protest camps, homeless people are not impacted by the Bill? 51/n

Andy Slaughter MP rightly raises the fact that, despite Kit Malthouse's assurances, access groups are not reassured.

(Nor are we prepared to let Travellers, homeless people or protest camps be affected by this Bill, either.)

52/n

Kit Malthouse MP doesn't appear to be giving any ground on making greater provision for legal campsites for Travellers - instead, he's just throwing it back on (austerity-hit) local authorities.

53/n

Wrapping up, Minister Kit Malthouse mentions the petition's concerns about impacts on right to protest - he claims that there is a fundamental right to protest in Britain, but fails to mention that the Policing Bill will criminalise protest camps outright. He sits down.

54/n

Katherine Fletcher MP wraps up the debate.

She thanks everyone who spoke today and everyone who signed the Don't Criminalise Trespass petition.

55/n

Some brief reflections on the Don't Criminalise Trespass debate:
- Some very good contributions from Labour & SNP MPs
- Katherine Fletcher MP was commendably fair in how she introduced & closed the debate.
- A nasty little contribution from one Tory MP.
- The Govt gave no ground.

Minister Kit Malthouse, sought to win over petitioners on some aspects of the Bill, e.g. by claiming that wild campers will not be affected - but:
1) You have to actually change the Bill to win our assurance
2) We stand in solidarity w/ Travellers & homeless people.
#KillTheBill