Priti Patel has ordered an immediate review of MPs’ security after the killing of Sir David Amess while meeting constituents. The home secretary met police and security and intelligence agency representatives after the 69-year-old MP was fatally stabbed during a surgery in his Southend West constituency.
A spokesman for Patel said she had also spoken to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. “The home secretary has asked all police forces to review security arrangements for MPs with immediate effect and will provide updates in due course,” the spokesman said.
The fatal attack has intensified concerns about risks to MPs, just five years after Jo Cox was killed. Hoyle said Amess’s death sent “shockwaves across the whole parliamentary community”. He promised to examine MPs’ security in the coming days.
After Cox’s murder, security was stepped up with panic alarms and security doors. However, many MPs continue to face threats. Former Labour MP Anna Turley said she stopped advertising surgeries due to abuse, blaming social media for fostering a “toxic” environment. A neo-Nazi was jailed in 2019 for plotting to kill Labour MP Rosie Cooper, and a man was jailed for threatening Yvette Cooper.
MPs like Jess Phillips emphasised the importance of face-to-face contact, saying she would disregard advice to hide behind screens. She noted a “mixed picture” in police responses to threats.
