Protest, Rough Music & MPs houses
In a further authoritarian lurch the Government plans not by passing a law but by a technical tweak to existing measures before Parliament to make protests outside MPs houses punishable by six months in jail. Keir Starmer was not happy when Just Stop Oil sang climate change themed Christmas Carols outside his house so clearly something MUST be done.
The discussion has been had before in the Spring of 2024
I agreed with Marina Hyde writing in the Guardian on 24th February 2024 that protesting outside MPs houses is not generally an effective protest tactic. Historically however it has been a tradition known as rough music when protesters convened at an individual’s house often late at night, making noise. Sometimes it was aimed at people who had transgressed a moral code and was far from always progressive, Sometimes it was aimed at figures of authority.
In 2025 the ability to communicate with those in authority, through e-mail and social media means there are more direct ways of making a point. However, as I’m afraid is too often the case with too many MPs, the effort to engage beyond perhaps a bland statement, is missing. If MPs will not participate in democratic dialogue with constituents they may find the traditions of rough music reassert themselves, awkward and sometimes disturbing though they may be. Starmer himself is a champion of non-engagement with those who disagree with him, preferring the administrative measure to debate.
It might also be noted that while the media frequently comments on protests, usually to condemn them, they have been probably the most frequent group to be found hanging around outside at least some MPs houses in recent times. When Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn may have created a record here.
Jess Philips, writing in the Observer on 25th February 2024, made a clear and appropriate distinction between political protest aimed at MPs and individual threats to them. Women MPs are the most frequent targets and its long been known that Diane Abbott has received perhaps the most abuse in recent times
The point remains though that if legitimate democratic forms of protest are restricted, frustrated or banned, then more controversial protests are possible. The Sunday Times Editorial on 25th February2024 warned on this very point, while hardly being a fan of protests in general
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