Piers Corbyn held over call to ‘burn down offices of MPS’
JEREMY CORBYN’S brother has been arrested on suspicion of encouraging people to burn down MPS’ offices in an anti-lockdown protest.
Piers Corbyn was detained after he spoke out in a video posted on social media. The clip shows the brother of the former Labour leader criticising politicians who voted for Covid restrictions.
After decrying “those s--- who have decided to go ahead with introducing new fascism”, the 74-year-old tells a crowd in the video: “You’ve got to get a list of them... and if your MP is one of them, go to their offices and, well, I would recommend burning them down, OK. But I can’t say that on air. I hope we’re not on air.”
Before news of the arrest broke Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, described the video as “sickening”, adding: “I back police to take the strongest possible action against him.” Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, also added her voice to the condemnation.
“Appalling Piers Corbyn video,” she said. “We have lost two MPS to terrible violence in recent years – we know how incredibly serious this is. Police will have all our support in pursuing this.”
His comments came just two months after Tory MP David Amess was stabbed to death in his Southend-on-sea constituency and the 2016 murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.
Piers Corbyn, a climate change denier, has become a prominent figure in the anti-lockdown movement, regularly addressing rallies.
The Metropolitan Police said a man in his 70s – whom it did not name – was arrested yesterday in south London in the early hours.
‘We have lost two MPS to terrible violence in recent years – we know how incredibly serious this is’