Lobby of Parliament on the Terrorism Bill

Wednesday 9th November

1. Why is a lobby of Parliament taking place on the Terrorism Bill?

The Government’s Terrorism Bill is currently going through Parliament. On Wednesday 9th November, the House of Commons will debate and vote on the Bill. We want you to urge your MPs to support amendments to the Bill that will be considered on that day.

2. Why are people worried about the Bill?

As it stands, the Terrorism Bill would criminalise those who oppose terror and whose cooperation is vital to the police in defeating terrorism. The Bill risks dividing our communities and undermining our efforts to prevent further terrorist attacks.

3. What are we calling for?

We want the Government to amend the Terrorism Bill to remove the sections that would:

· outlaw the ‘glorification’ of terrorism

· ban non-violent organizations

· extend the period of pre-charge detention of suspects from 14 days to three months

4. What is a lobby of Parliament?

A mass lobby of Parliament is when a large number of people attend Parliament on the same day to speak to their Member of Parliament (MP) about an issue of common concern.

The more people who attend a mass lobby, the greater the pressure on MPs and on the Government to reconsider their position.

5. What will happen on the day?

The lobby will run from 12pm onwards. People will be coming and going throughout the afternoon, to meet with their MPs.

Some of the key votes will take place early in the afternoon, so the earlier you get there to lobby your MP the better.

If you want to pick up materials, ask any questions or meet up with other people, drop into the Moses Room in the House of Lords, which we have booked. For directions, just ask a policeman in Central Lobby. (There is a possibility that we will be moved from the Moses Room at the last minute due to parliamentary business, if that is the case, the information point will instead be at…)

Between 6pm and 8pm there will be a public discussion meeting at Westminster Central Hall, with speakers talking about the impact of the Terrorism Bill.

6. Do I need to be an expert on the issues?

No! Anyone can take part.

You can find out more about the key issues in the Terrorism Bill later in this pack, and we also suggest some questions that you may want to ask your MP.

Remember, MPs are there to represent your views and concerns.

7. What should I do beforehand?

If possible, you should arrange to meet with your MP in advance, to ensure that they are definitely able to meet with you on the day. You can do this by phoning them at the House of Commons (see 8. and 9. below).

8. How can I find out who my MP is?

You can find out the name of your MP in a number of ways:

· If you have access to the internet, log on to www.locata.co.uk/commons

· You can call the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272

· You can find out from your local library or council

(It helps to know your full postcode when trying to find out who your MP is.)

9. How do I get in touch with my MP?

You can get in touch with your MP by phoning the House of Commons switchboard on 020 7219 3000 and asking to be put through to your MP.

If you’re a student, you may want to get in touch with the MP for your home town and the MP for where you study, if different.

10. What should I do on the day?

You should go to St Stephen’s entrance to the Houses of Parliament. (directions are enclosed in this pack.) You need to allow yourself plenty of time to pass through the security checks. At security, you should say that you are meeting your MP in Central Lobby. You will then be told where to go.

Once in Central Lobby, go to the Visitor’s Desk:

· If you have already arranged the meeting with your MP, inform the attendant, who will then call your MP to let them know you have arrived.

· If you have not pre arranged a meeting with your MP, ask the attendant for a Green Card to see your MP (see 11. below).

When you meet with your MP, they may not have much time so you should to prepare in advance the key points that you want to raise (there are some suggestions later on in this pack).

If you want to pop into the Moses Room before or after your meeting (see 5. above), ask an attendant or policeman in Central Lobby for directions.

11. What is the Green Card system?

If you have not arranged a meeting in advance with your MP, you can still lobby them on the day under what is known as the Green Card system. You will be asked to complete a Green Card, stating your name, the name of your MP and the reason you want to see them. The attendant will then try to locate your MP and will ask them if they can come to meet you in Central Lobby.

If your MP is unavailable they will still receive the Green Card, so your MP will know that you came to Parliament to lobby them on this issue.

It is your right to ask to see your MP under this system though it is not always successful (for instance, if the MP is not in the House on that day) so we advise that you try to arrange the meeting with your MP in advance.

12. What if I can’t make the Lobby?

If you can’t make the lobby but would still like to raise your concerns about the Terrorism Bill with your MP, you can write to them – but make sure your letter reaches them before 9th November! You can write to your MP:

· by sending a letter to - House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

· by using the following website to send an email - www.writetothem.com

There is a model letter at the end of this pack.

Don’t Forget!

1. Put the date in your diary – 9th November, lobby Parliament!

2. Find out who your MP is and ring them now to arrange a time to meet them on 9th November.

3. Read the background on the Terrorism Bill in this pack before the day, and take this and the suggested questions for your MP with you to the lobby.

4. Get other people involved – the more people who come to the lobby, the bigger the impact and the more likelihood that the Bill will be amended.

5. Advertise the lobby through your local networks.

6. If you can’t make the lobby, write to your MP today, setting out your concerns (see model letter).

The Terrorism Bill

Clause 1 of the Terrorism Bill will criminalize those who glorify the commissioning or preparation of acts of terrorism, at home and abroad. Clause 21 will broaden the criteria for banning certain groups to include the ‘glorification’ (defined as ‘any form of praise or celebration’) of acts of terrorism.

· The proposed new offences are too vague and may catch those who oppose terror and whose cooperation is vital to the police. It is already a criminal offence to incite terrorist violence. The onus is on the Government to present a clear case for why the current law on incitement is inadequate and broader measures are required – specifically, who and what is the new law designed to address that existing legislation does not?

· One person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. Under the definition of terrorism that will be used for the purposes of this Bill, those vocally supporting the African National Congress in its fight against the Apartheid regime would have been guilty of a criminal offence. Such laws will undermine the legitimacy of our anti-terror efforts.

· Similarly, no purpose will be served by banning organisations that do not advocate or support terrorism. Driving wholly non-violent organisations underground, where they are impossible to engage with, would be counter-productive and make intelligence-gathering more difficult.

· The trust and cooperation of all our communities is indispensable to isolate and defeat supporters of terrorism. If legislation is framed too loosely, people who totally condemn terrorist attacks may fear that legitimate views on, for example, the conflict in the Middle East, make them and others vulnerable to prosecution. In those circumstances, they are more likely to be wary of contact with the police and less likely to volunteer information that could prove crucial to counter terrorism investigations.

Clause 23 of the Terrorism Bill will increase the upper limit for holding a suspect without charge from the current 14-day limit to three months.

· The Police must be supported in their work to gather enough evidence to bring charges against terrorist suspects. However, the proposals contained in Clause 23 could prove to be highly counter-productive and a better balance must be found between the demands of operational policing and the rights o the individual.

· We must avoid a situation in which possibly innocent people will be held for up to three months – equivalent to a six month custodial sentence – without charge. This will not only impact on the individuals involved, but also on their families and their communities, and significantly dent public confidence in policing and the criminal justice system.

Questions for your MP

1. Do you support Clauses 1 and 21 of the Terrorism Bill, which will outlaw encouragement of terrorism, and will ban non-violent organisations?

If the answer to question 1 is yes:

2. Do you think it is right to create a law that would have criminalised supporters of Nelson Mandela?

3. Why is the current law on incitement not sufficient to catch those who actively support and encourage terrorism?

4. What impact do you think these measures will have on community relations?

5. Do you think these measures could make people less likely to cooperate with the police and to be forthcoming with information?

6. Do you think that some non-violent organisations could be driven underground by the new laws, and could therefore be harder to monitor?

If the answer to question 1 is no:

7. Will you support amendments to the Bill that will delete these clauses?

Directions to the Houses of Parliament

By underground: The nearest tube station is Westminster (on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines).
By rail: The nearest train stations are Charing Cross, Victoria and Waterloo.
By bus: Buses 3, 11, 12, 24, 53, 77a, 88, 109, 159 & 211 all stop nearby.

Model Letter to Your MP on the Terrorism Bill

[NAME] MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA DATE

Dear

I support the Government’s efforts to make our country a safer place to live. However, I am very concerned that the proposed Terrorism Bill will criminalise those who oppose violence and whose cooperation is vital to the police.

My main concern is with the parts of the Bill that relate to the encouragement and glorification of terrorism, at home and abroad, by individuals and organisations. These measures are unnecessary, unclear, too broad, and will undermine legitimate freedom of expression.

One person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. Under the definition of terrorism that will be used for this Bill, those vocally supporting the African National Congress in its fight against the Apartheid regime would have been guilty of a criminal offence. Such laws will undermine the legitimacy of our anti-terror efforts.

What’s more, if legislation is framed too loosely, people who totally condemn terrorist attacks may fear that legitimate views on, for example, the conflict in the Middle East, make them and others vulnerable to prosecution. This may make them reluctant to contact the police with important information.

It is already a criminal offence to incite terrorist violence. The Government has not made a compelling case for why the current law on incitement is inadequate and broader measures are required.

Finally, the proposals to extend the period of pre-charge detention of suspects from 14 days to three months could further damage community relations. It should not be possible for potentially innocent people to be held for up to three months – equivalent to a six month custodial sentence – without charge. This will not only impact on the individuals involved, but also on their families and their communities, and significantly dent public confidence in policing and the criminal justice system. A better balance must be found between the demands of policing and the rights of the individual.

I urge you to vote to remove these elements of the Bill during Report Stage. Please pass my letter to the minister responsible for the Terrorism Bill. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely