The Tory Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been ridiculed after declaring that her party have once again established themselves as “the party of law and order” just minutes after one of her MPs was involved in a furious “punch up” with security staff at Tory Conference.
Speaking on stage at Tory Conference, Patel proudly claimed that her party’s new policies on police funding and immigration would “renew our place as the party of law and order“.
In her speech, the Home Secretary also went on to warn criminals that her party was “coming after the thugs, gangs, and criminals who make law-abiding people’s lives a misery“.
Home Secretary Priti Patel announces £20m fund to tackle so-called county lines drugs gangs who "terrorise our towns… and exploit our children", alongside extra money to equip police officers with tasershttps://t.co/p37fTSiIo0 #CPC19 pic.twitter.com/V83gWyNrpE
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 1, 2019
However, Patel’s words were roundly ridiculed on social media – because just minutes prior to taking stage, one of her fellow Tory MPs was booted out of his own party’s conference after being involved in a punch up with security staff.
Priti Patel has opened by saying Tories have once again established themselves of law and order. Just hours after an MP was sent home for violent conduct. You couldn’t make this stuff up
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) October 1, 2019
Tory conference was reportedly put into lockdown after senior Tory backbencher, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, was involved in a ‘violent confrontation’ with conference security staff – with armed police and paramedics also being called to attend the scene.
The incident appears to have erupted after Clifton-Brown attempted to let a guest into one of the Conference’s secure zones without having the relevant pass.
In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said:
“At around 1.45pm on Tuesday 1 October 2019, an attendee to the Conservative Party Conference attempted to enter the International Lounge area of the conference without the relevant pass. ‘Security staff intervened and resolved the situation without any breach of security occurring.”
Following the fracas, Clifton-Brown was reportedly held by police.
The Tory MP has also now been kicked out of conference by his own party, with a spokesman declaring that the incident was “totally unacceptable“, and adding:
“Geoffrey has been asked to leave Conference and we are establishing all of the facts to see if further action is necessary,”
“We will always adopt a zero tolerance approach to any inappropriate behaviour towards our hardworking staff.”
Writing on Twitter, the Guardian’s Parliamentary Sketch Writer, John Crace – who is at Tory Conference – wrote:
“The treasurer of the 1922 committee, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, has been held by police after an incident in the International Lounge at the Tory party conference. Just hours before Priti Patel announced plans to get tough on crime. Now to get Boris…”
The treasurer of the 1922 committee, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, has been held by police after an incident in the International Lounge at the Tory party conference. Just hours before Priti Patel announced plans to get tough on crime. Now to get Boris…
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) October 1, 2019
There has been an actual punch up inside the secure zone at the Tory Party conference. Police are involved.
In an hour, the Home Secretary Priti Patel will be on stage announcing more money for police stun guns. and saying: “To the criminals, ‘We are coming after you.’”
Lovely
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) October 1, 2019
Moments before Priti Patel goes on stage to announce more stun guns for police, a Tory MP has to be detained for starting a row for, we think, not being let in to some sort of event.
These are the days of the rivers of gold.https://t.co/WotyfgkyCH
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) October 1, 2019
If Patel declaring her party as the party of law and order just minutes after one of her MPs was involved in a punch up wasn’t ironic enough, her speech also comes just days after her own Prime Minister was found by the Supreme Court to have illegally prorogued Parliament.
