Sir Stephen Timms, who was stabbed by an Islamist extremist in an attack in 2010, has warned that anger among protesters over the conflict in Gaza is “not dissimilar” to the situation after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The Labour MP told GB News: “There is a lot of anger around at the moment, around what's happening in the Middle East. The Labour motion I think did provide a helpful way through.
“It was in the end adopted and I'm pleased there is now a vote that has been recorded that the Parliament has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. But the route that's underway at the moment seems to me to be a bit confected to be honest.”
Timms, who was attacked by an Islamist extremist in a stabbing attack in 20120, continued: “Anger is high again and I think the mood is not dissimilar to the one that was after the military action the UK took in Iraq in 2003, which was reflected in a lot of concern around the 2005 general election as well.
“Obviously what happened to me was much later than that, it was 2010, but it did originate from that source. And so I think it is right to be concerned about this and to recognise that the consequences of this kind of anger can be quite long term, not something that will blow over necessarily very quickly.”
Asked if he took the Speaker’s word that his decision yesterday was prompted by fears for MPs’ safety, he told Tom Harwood and Emily Carver: “I'm sure those concerns were raised with him. Yes. The decision that he took was, in terms of precedence, an unusual one. It wasn't unprecedented, but there weren't that many precedents for it.
“Nevertheless, he took a decision which I thought was a reasonable decision.”
