UK Houses of Parliament police: no political material allowed in Parliament

Police officers at Britain's Houses of Parliament have been caught telling protesters that political material may not be brought into the government's deliberative house; reports say this wasn't the first time.

“As she arrived at security, a police officer confiscated her lobby briefing material and told her that she was not allowed to have anything of a political nature. In fact, she was told that this was a direction from the House authorities. The officer then spoke to a senior officer, who gave the same response.”

Police attempt to ban “political materials” from House of Commons (Thanks, Alex)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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iRoy

Commedian/activist Mark Thomas once took show girls down to the Houses of Parliament, all registered voters, to be told no entry to the girls in their ‘Vegas’ outfits, at which point it was asked what the high ranking officer who wasn’t present but had laid down the law was actually wearing at this moment in time. The police officer had to sheepish admit :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4317737.stm
Graysmith

…and cue Alanis Morissette.
http://evilbobdayjob.blogspot.com/ Deidzoeb

This kind of rule is very straightforward. Unpeople are not allowed to bring in political material, to the place that *real people* (those with power and privilege) use almost exclusively for political purposes.

It clears up many rules and proclamations that seem hypocritical at first glance, when you assume that their unstated premise is that some people matter, and the rest are unpeople who are beneath consideration. See also Richard Branson’s statement “…capitalism was created to help people live better lives…” It’s a knee-slapper, unless you disregard the unpeople and apply that statement only to the people who matter with power and privilege.
http://boingboing.net/2011/11/18/richard-branson-the-awesome-1.html
Agua_Caliente

It’s not at all clear what her “lobby briefing material” was, the link provided in the article doesn’t clarify things either. Was it simply printed notes or something akin to campaign posters?As usual, there’s 3 sides to every story.
- dragonfrog
  
  Was it simply printed notes or something akin to campaign posters?
  
  How on earth is that relevant? Her political materials could have included a miniature working steam engine, eighteen pounds of unripe pears, and an antique xylophone, if those seemed like the best materials to support her argument.
  
  Unless she was a lobbyist for a hunting association and her ‘political materials’ included a shotgun, there’s no legitimate reason to exclude them.
  - chgoliz
    
    This may have been the single best BB reply I have read all year.
  - Agua_Caliente
    
    Quote:
    
    Are banners and placards allowed?
    
    Banners, placards, flags, leaflets and similar items are not permitted within the confines of the Parliamentary Estate and lobbyists will be required to leave such items at entry points. Lobbyists wearing garments bearing slogans or inappropriate clothing (eg. fancy dress) will be denied access.
    
    Also relevant: http://www.scribd.com/doc/73929695/foi
st vincent

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!
LordBlagger

Yep, politicians don’t do protest. You will do as you are told.
halkun

I’m confused… I thought the goal was to get lobbyists out of government… What am I missing?
Alan Wexelblat

That’s “Alan” and you’re welcome. Every time I think the US is getting too surreal I find that the UK or Canada are doing their best to keep up.
A. .

but…but…he’ll see the BIG BOARD!
Draxlith

“Sorry, we only accept cash, check, or credit” is what they actually said, this was just a paraphrase
Daniel Smith

Kafka was closer to reality than many people think.
http://www.stephen.com Stephen Linhart

Does anyone have proof one way or another whether this rule is applied to corporate lobbyist at that particular location? If not, side by side photos of the discrepancy would be a make a profitable newspaper front page.
http://shadowfirebird.tumblr.com shadowfirebird

Makes perfect sense to me. After all, by rule or convention, no-one inside can make a sensible political argument — just argue and make vapid whitewash noises.
http://twitter.com/ScytheNoire ScytheNoire

Got Democracy? No, no we don’t. Democracy is dead in so many countries and many people are still in denial about it.
kartwaffles

Politics, in my Parliament? It’s less likely than you think!