Identity Cards Bill
4:30 pm
Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour)
I very much agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Peyton, said about the lady who was arrested by two police sergeants and 10 police constables for the heinous offence of reading out the names of our soldiers who have been killed in Iraq. I sympathise with what he said. The only thing that I did not sympathise with was when he intimated that Ministers had no idea that this sort of thing would happen. There is no reason why they would not have been aware because, when matters were discussed in this House, Ministers were warned of the dangers of the unintended consequences of the legislation, which does not allow a person to make any demonstration within 1,000 metres of Parliament without police permission.