MISSILE THROWN BY PROTESTOR PREVENTS GUILDFORD MP'S QUESTION TO THE PRIME MINISTER

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th May 2004

The House of Commons sitting was suspended today moments before Sue Doughty, the MP for Guildford, was due to be called to put a question to the Prime Minister. The speaker suspended the session when a missile, thrown from one of the side galleries, struck the Deputy Prime Minster, John Prescott MP, covering him and others nearby, including the Prime Minister, in a purple coloured powder.

Sue said:

"Whatever the person who threw the missile was protesting about, they prevented me from putting a tough question to the Prime Minster regarding the criticisms made by a special all party committee of MPs of the Government's failure to stop British produced arms falling into the wrong hands.

"This issue is extremely important, as the Government must back up its increasingly desperate arguments to justify tagging along behind George Bush in the invasion of Iraq by proving that they are taking the necessary steps to stop the Saddam Husseins of tomorrow from arming themselves.

On the security issues raised by the protest, Sue said:

"It is of very serious concern that a protestor was able to launch such an attack. Sitting in nearby benches in the gallery were very important Palestinian dignitaries, including the Palestinian Speaker. The Prime Minister and other senior Cabinet Ministers could have had their lives endangered if today's protestor had more serious intentions. "Had the missile that was thrown contained anthrax, the consequences of today would have been very grave, and the way in which the evacuation of the chamber was handled could have increased the danger. It is clear that we need an urgent review of parliamentary security."