Animal Liberation Front (Hansard, 6 November 1986)

§ Mr. Colin Shepherd (Hereford)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 10 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the distribution of a booklet correlating Animal Liberation Front activities and containing instructions on how to make incendiary devices and fire bombs. Two days ago an animal rights campaigner in Herefordshire let it be known that he was deeply concerned and disgusted at a leaflet and booklet that he had received through the post. I now have a copy of that sinister booklet and I am appalled by its content. The content is a wide incitement to action to cause damage. Most important is the explicitly detailed instruction on how to make incendiary devices and how to use them to maximum effect.

Regardless of the views that hon. Members may hold on the complicated and knotty issues of animal welfare and rights, I am sure that all hon. Members have a serious interest in the safety of their constituents and in the general rule of law. The fact that a leaflet is being freely distributed across the country at this time which gives such explicit details of how to assemble incendiary devices from everyday household materials, and how to plant them for greatest effect, must surely be a matter of immediate concern to the House. The fact that it is being widely distributed, as it claims, is even more worrisome, since it will inevitably become of interest to a wider readership than simply those interested in animal rights, who could be disposed towards mischief, innocent or otherwise, with injury or loss of life resulting. That underlines the seriousness and urgency of the matter.

I hope that peaceful recipients of this anonymous publication will waste no time in burning the copies sent to them, or will let their views be known to the publisher, if they know who it is. The House should be given an early opportunity to express its revulsion at such tactics and to discharge its duty to alert the public to a threat to public order which is being built up as a consequence of this irresponsible and reprehensible course of action from extremists, whoever they are.

§ Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the distribution of a booklet correlating Animal Liberation Front activities and containing instructions on how to make incendiary devices and fire bombs. I have listened with great care to what the hon. Gentleman has said. I regret that I do not consider that the matter he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10 and I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House. However, I hope that he find other ways to bring this important matter before the Chamber.