Medway MP Bob Marshall Andrews interrupted his summer holiday to visit Climate Camp after becoming concerned at the police response to the protest.

He returned to his constituency on Tuesday after seeing footage of police in riot gear storming the field at Deangate Ridge the previous day.

The veteran Labour backbencher, said:“I went to the site because I wanted to see what it was like for myself. It is extremely well organised.

“The vast majority of people at the camp are completely law abiding and are very passionate about one of the most important issues of our time.

“I wanted to make sure that the camp was well run and that the people running it are people that are genuinely committed and there was no doubt that that was the case.”

“There is a very strong police presence around the camp but that itself concerns me less than the use of police in riot gear. I have examined the situation very carefully, and in this particular case the use of riot police was not the right response given the nature of the people that are there.”

“Those that I spoke to in the camp were very clear that they do not have weapons in the camp.

“When officers searched the camp they did find some articles that could have been used in an occupation of Kingsnorth, those have rightly been confiscated and I don’t know anyone that I spoke to that would disagree with that.

“The problem was a large number of other things were confiscated that did not have that relevance. It’s very important that people living in the area should not be concerned and worried by the nature of this camp which is overwhelmingly peaceful and well run.”

“I have had total cooperation with the police and they have been very open. I have had a very long discussion with senior police officers and am very optimistic that this situation will be resolved first thing today.”

“The large number of police officers is an operational matter. We shall of course see the way in which the big day of direct action on Saturday goes.

“There will be people taking part in that action who are not at the camp now, and there then may be requirements for a large number of police, but that’s a matter for the operation.”

“I will keep a close eye on the situation and keep in touch with my office, the police and the people who are running the camp.”