Is Theresa May in danger of following the Labour edict that you react to problematic events by creating a new law?

By Jonathan Isaby

There is much coverage in the media this morning (here for example) on the back of Theresa May's statement in the Commons yesterday afternoon about Saturday's protests, suggesting that the Home Secretary is considering giving the police more powers to stop protesters wearing masks or balaclavas.

This has left me slightly unnerved: I watched the Labour Government in operation for more than a decade and observed how the statists' reaction to virtually any event or problem was to pass a new law, create a new regulation or give the state more power in some way shape or form as a way of saying "We, the Government, are doing something about X".

On the issue of face masks, I need only direct readers to the words of Lord Wallace of Saltaire, speaking in the Lords on behalf of this Government barely three months ago, in December, when he said in response to a demand for more public order legislation prohibiting the wearing of masks or disguises at such protests:

"The police already have powers under Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to require the removal of face coverings worn for the purpose of concealing identity. The police also have powers to seize such items."

Given what he wrote last night, I suspect Tim will disagree with me, but on behalf of civil libertarians in the party, I would make a plea to Theresa May not to go down the road of reacting to events like this by introducing new legislation on the hoof.

After all the laws passed in recent years, I'm pretty sure the police have ample powers - it's a question of ensuring that they use them effectively.