A Government so out of tune with public sentiment may not notice (or care) but when Times letter writers start appearing to your left on the subject of national security the reality gap is really starting to yawn.
Meanwhile Junior Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones was despatched to the Monday morning media round. Pontypridd has been badly served by a series of right-wing Labour MPs in recent decades and clearly Ms Davies-Jones has no intention of breaking the mould.
Is it the case that the police arresting protesters the majority of whom were over 60 were in any way ‘brave’? It seems very unlikely. Was it the case that the protest was entirely peaceful? It seems so and on the basis of Ms Davies-Jones words they should not have been arrested at all. Meanwhile as there were reportedly 40-50 police officers from south and west Wales involved in the arrests perhaps Ms Davies-Jones needs to reassure her constituents that there was of course no actual criminal activity in the area that required investigation on Saturday..
I want to thank the police for their bravery and their courage in carrying out their diligent duties in the line of public protection, and I want to state that the right to peacefully protest in this country is a cornerstone of our democracy, and of course, we respect that. (Guardian 11th August)
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