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High drama in the Commons

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON: The House of Commons was plunged into confusion on Wednesday after the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was hit by what eyewitnesses described as a `paintball' thrown by a man from the visitors' gallery. Mr Blair was in the midst of answering a question during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions when the object hit him, spraying a purple-coloured powdery substance all over him and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, sitting next to him. He sharply looked back as, amid commotion, the Speaker, Michael Martin, immediately adjourned the House. The dramatic scenes were witnessed `live' on TV around Britain — and later replayed in slow motion by news channels for much of the day. Two members of a group called "Fathers 4 Justice'', which claimed responsibility for the `attack', were grabbed by the security and taken into custody. The group, which is leading a high-profile campaign for the rights of divorced fathers to have access to their children, said it was intended to highlight its demand for "equal rights for dads''. "Purple is the international colour of equality,'' a spokesman for the group said. The men, both Whites and apparently in suits, shouted something before throwing the powder-filled object. It emerged that they were guests of a member of the House of Lords who had signed for them in the visitors' register. Although the powder was found to be harmless, the incident caused alarm among MPs who called it an unprecedented security breach. Amid calls for a security review, the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, hinted at more restricted access to Parliament.

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