MPs Must Accept and Mitigate the Risks

Sir David Amess MP was stabbed to death on 15th October 2021, a little over five years since the murder of Jo Cox MP. Both MPs were attacked and killed meeting constituents at their weekly MP surgeries. Sir David’s attack was reminiscent of Jo’s killing, reminding us that when MPs meet their constituents, as most do every week, they are at risk of harm.

As a former MPs staffer of seven years and an elected county councillor for four years, I believe working in politics has a significant mental impact on everyone who works on the front line. I certainly feel like this applies to me. Since leaving elected office in May 2021 I have been aware?of the difference in my mindset whilst out and about. I am more relaxed, no longer on my guard for an approach that could turn out good or bad. Whilst I never felt fear, there was certainly apprehension.

Like any staffer or politician I had my own poor experiences dealing with the public. I must clarify that the vast majority of interactions were friendly, amicable, and productive. Of course we dealt with people who were angry, all MPs do, but we focused on doing the best job we could to help people with whatever problem they brought to us. For most people, that was enough, even if the outcome was not what they hoped for. On the whole they appreciated the effort we made to try and assist.

In 2010 I was fortunate enough to be offered a job by the new MP for my home constituency, who succeeded a long-standing MP who was retiring to the House of Lords. ?As Case Officer, I met with constituents and sat with the MP during every face-to-face surgery. We took security precautions to ensure we could make a quick getaway in the event of an emergency, but whenever constituents reached into their pocket, we never knew what they were going to pull out. Thankfully we never encountered a weapon.

A month after joining the office, a regional manhunt began across the North East when a gunman went on the run after a shooting spree. Whilst no direct threats against MPs had been made, the initial intelligence was that the fugitive may be targeting people in authority, which could mean MPs. From my perspective, that meant sitting in an office that could potentially be a target, which was unsettling.

Apart from the occasional angry email and one incident where the police had to be called, there were no major escalations over the next few years. Serious incidents are thankfully very rare. But what the general public is unaware of is that every MP receives weird letters and consistent representations from obsessive characters multiple times every week. All MP’s staff can reel off a list of ‘regulars’ who keep showing up. Some nice, some not so, some banned altogether, some heading that way.

After the 2015 General Election, my employer was appointed to the shadow front bench. The Brexit referendum was announced and suddenly they found themselves front and centre. Holding unyielding pro-EU views not in line with the populist opinion of the day and email anger grew. Doorstep canvassing became increasingly ‘lively’ with people less and less tolerant of alternative points of view. Following a couple of media missteps which led to national coverage, we received up to two hundred abusive emails per day and many abusive phone calls and messages, which included death threats. It felt crazy, very real, and very scary. The daily scan of the inbox was equally unpleasant. Troll, troll, troll, invite, troll, troll, troll, troll, case and so on.

Then Jo Cox was murdered. I was in the office as the news broke and just stood there in shock. We did not know what to do. The Police told us to shut the office down straight away; a full lockdown. Later that week I ushered my employer away from the entrance to a local library following a MP surgery as they stood chatting to someone who had stopped for a chat as we returned to our cars. There was no threat to us, but it struck me we were duplicating exactly the situation Jo Cox had faced prior to her attack. Not for the first time I felt like a sitting duck.

The abuse was still coming in at an alarming rate. Walking around leafleting on the day of the referendum felt like everyone was looking at us in a threatening way, as paranoid as that sounds. I was very relieved when 10pm came and the polls closed. At that moment I did not care about the result, I was just glad it was over. I am not convinced the nastiness and vitriol visible in politics during that period has ever truly dissipated since June 2016. Nor do I believe it started then either, but it certainly intensified.

After one unsuccessful attempt at my own election in 2013, I was elected to Durham County Council in May 2017, serving as best I could and without incident for four years before losing my seat in May 2021. But even my own election to the council was not without drama. Before the election in 2017, a death threat made against all Labour councillors and party candidates was sent to the Chief Constable of the local Constabulary. This led to the arrest, conviction and later imprisonment, of someone I had known since my school days. ?

Many others will have similar experiences. My point is that the murders are a tragic tip of an iceberg. MPs need to be honest and admit to themselves that they face very real risks as they do what I believe is an amazing job to get, but a terribly difficult job to do. Incidents happen all the time that could lead to escalations, but do not. But they do happen.

As a society we must remember that as we chastise the ‘characters’ that become MPs, many good people we would want as MPs avoid the career. Many feel it is simply not worth the worry and distress, not only for themselves but for their families too. Jo Cox’s sister, Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater, admitted that following the murder of Sir David her partner asked her to step down. I completely understand why.

The Home Secretary has ordered a review of MPs security. There will be calls for MPs to stop surgeries or only conduct virtual surgeries. This is unrealistic and only a partial solution, if at all. MPs visit organisations, churches and community events and are regularly approached whilst in supermarkets, pubs, restaurants or heading to their car between appointments. An incident can happen anywhere. MPs cannot become completely hidden from what is a very public job.

A number of measures can be taken right now to improve the safety of MPs. Firstly, MPs should be issued with bullet and stab-proof vests and they should be mandated to wear them. These can be concealed under clothing. They do not remove all risk, but they give some protection. Secondly, within the office of a MP should be an employee qualified in personal security and responsible for the safety arrangements of visits, events and surgeries. Additional funding should be provided by parliament to cover the costs of training and employment if additional personnel is required. Thirdly, constituents should be fully?searched prior to surgeries, with metal detection devices. If that seems over the top, note that if this search does not take place, the knife concealed in someone’s pocket, hidden there with murderous intent may not be found until it is too late. We are where we are.

In the meantime, our thoughts must remain with the family of Sir David Amess MP as they mourn the loss of a thoroughly decent man who did not deserve what happened to him on 15th October.?