David Davis MP debates the Government’s Public Order Bill

7 March 2023 – David Davis MP spoke out against several concerning provisions in the Government’s Public Order Bill.

While David Davis welcomed several concessions made by the Government, particularly eliminating the possibility that serious disruption prevention orders would be imposed on someone who has never been convicted of anything, he outlined several reasons to still be concerned with these provisions.

SDPOs, which can involve severe restrictions on important freedoms, can be applied for by police for as long as five years after a conviction. This is despite the fact that most of these offences are ‘spent’ after just one year.

David Davis also outlined how the Public Order Bill would expand suspicionless stop and search and pave the way to serious abuses of power, particularly with respect to fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and protest.