YOUR PARTY parliamentary leader Jeremy Corbyn pledged to oppose the government’s National Security (State Threats) Bill today as ministers started to rush the measure through Parliament.

He warned that the Bill “is an alarming expansion of state power, and an escalation of the government’s chilling assault on the right to protest.

“This week more than 100 people were arrested for holding placards in support of a group that has taken direct action against British complicity in genocide. Meanwhile, Britain continues to sell arms to a state whose leader is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“This Bill represents  a further, grave risk to our civil liberties. Under the new legislation, people can be criminalised for ‘expressing an opinion or belief that is supportive of’ bodies that the Home Secretary deems prejudicial to ‘the safety or interests’ of the UK.”

Mr Corbyn added: “Deliberately vague and open-ended, this legislation gives the Home Secretary sweeping powers to criminalise political campaigns of their choosing.

“We are going down a very dangerous path, and the fact that this legislation is being rushed through Parliament in one day should alarm us all.

“Civil liberties are easy to lose, but hard to win back. For that reason, I will be voting against this Bill.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs that the Bill is needed to protect against groups the government regards as aligned with Russia, Iran and China in particular.

It will allow her to designate them as a threat with minimal oversight, leaving individuals involved with them liable to a prison sentence of up to 14 years upon conviction.