Home Secretary dismisses claim Tommy Robinson ‘is fan of hers’ after Quds Day ban

“Tommy Robinson is also, the home secretary might like to know, a big fan of hers,” he went on.

Shabana Mahmood – who has often been criticised by Robinson – rebuffed Shockat’s suggestion as “hyperbole”.

She explained that each protest “has to be dealt with on its own” and told the independent MP that “he should not conflate multiple different things, there is a very specific risk that is being posed by the march on this occasion given the international context.”

Referring to the five separate marches – the main Quds Day rally and four counter-protests – the home secretary said they posed a “unique… in this international context that is different to every other kind of protest and march that has taken place.

“Marches take place every day on a whole range of issues.

“The police almost never ask for those marches to be banned; in fact I have never had such a request made to me.”

The police have not made a request for a protest to be banned for some 15 years.

“I would hope that he focuses rather more on the facts rather than the hyperbole that he began his question with initially,” Mahmood added.

Earlier in the Commons, Mahmood set out the government’s reasoning for banning the march, citing “heightened tensions between protesters and counter-protesters”.

The Al Quds Day rally, held annually in London, frequently features extremist slogans and posters. There have been calls for the march, first established by the Iranian regime in 1979, to be banned in the capital city for a decade.

“What I have announced today is narrowly focused on specific circumstances in a unique moment,” Mahmood said.

“It does not alter an enduring fact: in this country we rightly pride ourselves on our freedoms, including the right to peaceful protest.”

She described the right to protest as “precious”, but said the prohibition was necessary in the current circumstances.

The London event is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, which Mahmood said has long-standing links to the Iranian regime.

“This year’s event interacts with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” she said. “It comes at a time when the Iranian regime is attacking British forces and bases, as well as those of our allies.”

She also pointed to a recent counter-terrorism investigation in which four people were arrested under the National Security Act for allegedly spying on Jewish communities on behalf of Iran.

Mahmood confirmed that processions linked to Al Quds Day in London would be banned for one month.

“My first duty is to keep the public safe,” she said. “Having carefully considered the risk assessment presented to me by the Metropolitan Police, I am satisfied that an order under section 13 is necessary.”

The ban, covering both protesters and counter-protesters, will remain in place until April 11. The Metropolitan Police commissioner will be able to request an extension if required.

The decision has received support from opposition figures and Labour MPs.

Chris Philp welcomed the move, describing the marches as “a troubling symptom of growing division in our society”.

“We’ve seen people defining themselves primarily by their religion or ethnic heritage,” he said, adding that this had begun to “spill over into the conduct of elections”.

Labour MP Mark Sewards also backed the ban, telling MPs that Al Quds Day marches have “repeatedly featured support for the Iranian regime, proscribed terrorist groups and dangerous antisemitism."

However, the ban was criticised by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

“There is a slippery slope here,” Corbyn, who now co-leads new outfit You Party, told the Commons. “You ban a march which is not necessarily a very popular march and that then leads on to draconian banning orders on all kinds of protests in our society.”