Home Office staff concerned about ‘absurd’ Palestine Action ban, says senior civil servant

Anonymous source describes tense atmosphere' after Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe protest group

• Free speech target or terrorist gang? The inside story of Palestine Action - and the move to ban it

Home Office staff are concerned about the absurd" decision to ban Palestine Action under UK anti-terrorism laws, a senior civil servant has said.

On Monday the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced plans to ban the group, which would make membership of it, or inviting support for it, a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.