𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ministers will ask the High Court to reconsider its ruling that the proscription of Palestine Action was unlawful despite anger from backbench MPs. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government will appeal the Friday ruling that banning the group was against the law. Ms Cooper insisted she followed the correct process in seeking to ban Palestine Action as a terror group when she was Home Secretary.

When asked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News about her decision-making, she said: “Well, I followed the clear advice and recommendations, going through a serious process that the Home Office goes through, involving different agencies and police advice as well, which was very clear about the recommendation for proscription of this group.

“And the court has also concluded that this is not a normal protest group, that it has found that this group has committed acts of terrorism, that this group is not simply in line with democratic values, and has promoted violence.”

Ms Cooper was pressed to reveal the advice she was given that informed her decision to pursue the ban, but did not, instead saying: “So I was given significant evidence and advice around risks of violence and risks from public safety, and that is what you take seriously.”

The Foreign Secretary added: “If you ignore advice that you are given about risks to public safety then you’re really not taking seriously the responsibilities of home secretary.”

Labour MPs had urged the Government not to appeal against the High Court ruling.

Backbench MPs, as well as Labour peers in the House of Lords, also urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to withdraw her assertion she would fight the ruling, language they said was not “becoming your vital office of state and Labour values”.

Friday’s judgment could have implications for thousands of people arrested for supporting the group at protests across the country.

The ban remains in place for now and the Government plans to appeal against the ruling.

Proscription makes it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said she was “appalled” by the High Court’s ruling.

She said: “I’m pretty appalled by that ruling, and clearly it’s now going to be subject to a legal appeal. And I think it’s right that it should be appealed.”

“It is right that they feel the full force of our laws, including the proscription that has been put in place. They are on par with how terrorist organisations conduct themselves, and they plan their attacks.

“I think the public would be absolutely horrified to see that these individuals have been able to essentially get away with the type of activity that they have been able to thus far.”