Home Secretary says MPs could get police protection

The Home Secretary says MPs could get police protection after the stabbing of Tory MP Sir David Amess.

Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News today, Sunday, October 17, that MPs could be given police protection while they carry out constituency surgeries. Speaking to presenter Trevor Phillips, Priti Patel said the measure was under ‘serious’ consideration in the wake of the killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess who was stabbed multiple times at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday afternoon, October 15.

She told the Sky News presenter: “Our elected representatives should be able to go round and feel that they are safe and secure in the work they are doing.”

The Southend West MPs death has sparked a debate about MPs’ safety and whether more should be done to protect them and if so how. Ms Patel said she did not think the killing of Sir David should change the nature of the relationship between MPs and constituencies.

However, she also said there is a “need to close any gaps” on security, citing measures like “booking appointments in advance, checking the details of the individuals that you are seeing, checking the locations in advance that you are going to, making sure that you are not on your own”.

Ms Patel added that safety had been ramped up after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 but she is working to “close the gaps” that currently exist.

“There are things already in place but I’m now very much, and Lindsay Hoyle the Speaker of the House and I, with the police, and with others as well, we need to close any gaps basically where we feel that you know there are concerns,” she said.

Asked if MPs could receive the level of close protection they receive in Westminster she said: “All these issues and options are in consideration right now- There is a lot of work taking place already.”

The Home Secretary says MPs could get police protection after the stabbing of Tory MP Sir David Amess.

Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News today, Sunday, October 17, that MPs could be given police protection while they carry out constituency surgeries.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips, Priti Patel said the measure was under ‘serious’ consideration in the wake of the killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess who was stabbed multiple times at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday afternoon, October 15.

She told the Sky News presenter: “Our elected representatives should be able to go round and feel that they are safe and secure in the work they are doing.”

The Southend West MPs death has sparked a debate about MPs’ safety and whether more should be done to protect them and if so how. Ms Patel said she did not think the killing of Sir David should change the nature of the relationship between MPs and constituencies.

However, she also said there is a “need to close any gaps” on security, citing measures like “booking appointments in advance, checking the details of the individuals that you are seeing, checking the locations in advance that you are going to, making sure that you are not on your own”.

Ms Patel added that safety had been ramped up after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 but she is working to “close the gaps” that currently exist.

“There are things already in place but I’m now very much, and Lindsay Hoyle the Speaker of the House and I, with the police, and with others as well, we need to close any gaps basically where we feel that you know there are concerns,” she said.

Asked if MPs could receive the level of close protection they receive in Westminster she said: “All these issues and options are in consideration right now- There is a lot of work taking place already.”

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