Thousands of MPs’ surgeries and hundreds of events have been protected since the scheme began, and that number is rising as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war increase threats towards MPs.
Hundreds of MPs have also been provided with an overhauled package of security training from specialist advisers.
A specialist police operation, codenamed Bridger, was separately established to safeguard politicians after a neo-Nazi murdered the Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016. It has held personal security briefings for MPs, while looking at protective measures around Parliament.
Deputy assistant commissioner Taylor said: “We fully recognise and understand the heightened concerns that many MPs and other elected officials across the country have about their safety and security.
“We are committed to ensuring that MPs, their families and their staff can go about their work and lives without feeling unsafe, and we will not tolerate MPs being intimidated.”
On Friday, a teenager was convicted of trying to encourage terror attacks targeting the Government by creating a manual filled with instructions on how to build bombs, guns and evade the police.
Prosecutors told Manchester Crown Court the teenager “was motivated by a hatred and contempt for the Government.”
Brendan Cox, Ms Cox’s widower, told The Telegraph: “Tensions over the war in Gaza risk undermining community relations and catalysing anti-Semitic and Islamophobic extremism. What we urgently need now is politicians who can bring communities together, bridge divides and marginalise these extremists.”
A vicious political row was sparked by a Commons debate on a Gaza ceasefire on Wednesday, with more than 70 MPs later backing a no confidence motion in Sir Lindsay.
The Speaker said he “made a wrong decision” because he was trying to protect MPs against repercussions, adding: “The details of the things that have been brought to me are absolutely frightening… I have a duty of care that I will carry out to protect people.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
