UKUncut Defend Targeting Nick Clegg's Home As Louise Mensch And Fellow MPs Speak Out

Hurting Not Working? Should Protesters Target MPs' Homes?
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Louise Mensch MP has said she will write to the Home Office asking for guidance on the legality of protest outside politicians' homes, as UKUncut said they welcomed the "personal" protest outside Nick Clegg's home on Saturday.

Following from the action, in which 400 protesters attended an anti-cuts street party outside the deputy prime minister's home in Putney on Saturday, Conservative MP Mensch tweeted the action was "clearly illegal".

She added:

The protest has been condemned by Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem politicians.

However speaking to The Huffington Post UK on Monday a UKUncut spokesperson, Molly Solomons, was unable to say if UKUncut would target more politicians homes but did not rule out the possibility.

They dismissed Clegg, who said the protest had "scared" small children in his street and was “not, on a human level, very nice” on Sunday, saying the protest caused hostility because no one's done it before."

"Everyone who went to the street party was really pleased at the target because the cuts are getting personal," she said.

"If you look at various quotes from the day, there was a neighbour who brought his kids along to the protest and had a lovely day. 28 kids were there. It wasn't a scary protest, it was really, really fun.

"UKUncut isn't going to tell people what to do but if we're not going to be heard as the general public maybe we need to take it to people - so we can't be ignored anymore."

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UKUncut said Saturday's protest was 'really, really fun'

Solomons said the action was legitimate because "the cuts are personal."

"We've been protesting for a year now in shops, in banks, to bring the message home. Rich corporations should pay their tax, banks should not be bailed out. Now we're bringing the message home to the people who make the decision we're being criticised."

The Met Police said no arrests had been made on Saturday's protest.

A Home Office spokesperson told The Huffington Post UK: “Everyone has a right to peaceful protest, but those rights come with responsibilities.

“Violence and intimidation are wholly unacceptable and the police have a range of powers to deal robustly with any criminality and disorder.”