Bob Blackman, Conservative M for Harrow East and Monday Club Joint Executive Secretary, held a fundraising dinner last night in Edgware.
His special guest was none other than ex-Home Secretary and joint-founder of Wembley's Michaela School, Suella Braverman. Both have strong Brent connections with Blackman an ex-leader of Brent Council (and deputy leader in the Lib-Dem coalition) and Braverman (actual name Sue-Ellen) was born in Harrow and brought up in Wembley. Her mother was a Brent Conservative councillor.
Last night's dinner I understand was held to raise funds for Blackman's General Election campaign but amidst Sunak's problems and Braverman's undisguised leadership ambitions, of wider political significance.
The local community, having got wind of the dinner, marshalled at short notice a mass picket outside the restaurant. It was peaceful but noisy. Some guests entered through the front door on Mollison Way, others came via an alternative entrance as far as could be ascertained. There was no attempt to stop them entering.
Chants and individual speakers objected to Bob Blackman's stance against a Gaza ceasefire, his admiration for Mahendra Modi and support for the exclusion of caste from equality laws. Suella Braverman's support for Israel and antipathy to pro-Palestine demonstrations and her 'dream' of deporting refugees to Rwanda deportations enraged the demonstrators who charged them both with complicity in alleged genocide.
The crowd chanted, 'While you dine, babies die.'
Those present at the right-wing Fest must have been able to hear the demonstrators and after two and a half hours of chants and speeches a metal grill was lowered over the restaurant windows and entrance.
Despite the noise and anger the protest was disciplined and when a minute's silence was requested for the victims of the Middle East conflict a total silence fell over the suburban street and the demonstrators dispersed without incident.
