Tory MP Robert Jenrick claims acquittal of Colston statue topplers ‘undermines rule of legislation’

A Conservative MP has hit out on the courts after anti-racism protesters who toppled the statue of a slave dealer have been discovered to have dedicated no crime.

Robert Jenrick, who acted unlawfully as a minister, stated the choice to acquit 4 folks of legal harm would “undermine the rule of legislation”.

As communities secretary Robert Jenrick was discovered to have damaged the legislation by approving a £1 billion luxurious growth for a Tory donor. He left authorities final yr, sacked in a reshuffle.

The statue of Edward Colston was pulled down throughout a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol.

All 4 defendants admitted their involvement however denied their actions amounted to legal harm as a result of the statue itself was a hate crime – a declare which the jury upheld.

Colston was concerned within the enslavement over over 80,000 African folks, of whom virtually 10,000 have been youngsters – with an estimated 19,000 dying on ships sure for the Americas.

However regardless of the court docket ruling that no legal harm had taken place, Tory Mr Jenrick stated on Wednesday evening: “We undermine the rule of legislation, which underpins our democracy, if we settle for vandalism and legal harm are acceptable types of political protest. They aren’t. Whatever the intentions.”

His declare echoes the failed arguments of the prosecution, which argued that it was “irrelevant” who Colston was, and the case was one among simple legal harm.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps on Thursday morning echoed related views, telling LBC Radio: “We will’t have mob rule as the best way ahead.”

Mr Shapps added: “We should reside in a society the place folks can’t go round destroying public property and be capable of stroll away from it.

“We’re introducing by way of the police crime sentencing invoice, new measures which might probably plug a spot and make it completely clear.”

The native police power accepted the decision, with chief Superintendent Liz Hughes of Avon and Somerset Police, stating: “Having been offered with the proof, a jury has now decided their actions weren’t legal and we respect its choice.”

Mr Jenrick served as communities secretary between 2019 and 2021. In Could 2020 he accepted that he had acted unlawfully by approving a £1 billion luxurious growth at Westferry, proposed by Tory Donor Richard Desmond.

The then cupboard minister had overruled the federal government’s planning inspector – and later admitted that he did so on an accelerated timescale in order that Mr Desmond might keep away from paying a £45m tax invoice. Mr Desmond had privately lobbied Mr Jenrick over the problem.

Whereas the Tory MP has admitted that the choice was illegal, he claims there was no “precise bias” in his approving the scheme.