I am pleased that Home Office Minister, Nick Hurd, has agreed to meet the Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, and myself after I raised concerns about the pressure the policing of protestors at Kirby Misperton is having on local resources. North Yorkshire police is having to provide round the clock presence to ensure that the protest against shale gas extraction is peaceful, disruption to local people kept to an absolute minimum and to allow people to go about their lawful business. Many of the protestors are part of a national campaign and so I think it only reasonable that the full costs should be borne by the national government rather than local taxpayers. I am clear in my support for peaceful protest, but obstructing the highway, locking on and other forms of protest require a strong police presence to prevent these unreasonable actions. Our local police force, who are doing a very good job in these very difficult circumstances, should be keeping our local communities safe and should not have to turn out in large numbers to keep order amongst protestors, many of whom have come from other parts of the UK.
