Politicians assess security after Widdecombe death

Threats in the local pub, abusive emails and death threats on social media.

This is the reality for some MPs in the West, leading to calls for increased security to allow them to feel safe doing their job.

The former Swindon MP and justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland is leading a review into the murder of MP David Amess in 2021, and told the BBC the death of Ann Widdecombe has made assessing security more urgent.

Meanwhile, Adam Dance, the Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, said: "My mum messages me because she sees death threats on Facebook. It's hard for my family to see that and put up with it."

Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with murdering Widdicombe at her Devon home.

Her death has led to calls for a review of MPs' security, including from Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Buckland said the round-the-clock security Reform UK has proposed would alienate MPs from the public and "change the nature of democracy".

He added the family of David Amess "want better provision to support MPs in their work in their constituencies".

"Westminster is like an armed camp, you're safe there, when you step out in a constituency surgery or visit, you could be vulnerable," said Buckland.

Dance, who was elected in 2024, said MPs should be allocated a full-time security guard. Currently most MPs can request security when they need it, often for events or public meetings.

"The threat is when you go shopping or to the pub, or just walking around, when you can't have them (security) is when you need them," said Dance.

Dance said soon after he was elected, he had a petrol rag put into the exhaust of his car.

"It made me fuming, someone had walked up my drive and has the audacity to do that, imagine if someone else had driven the car?"

Laura Mayes is a Conservative councillor, representing Bromham, Rowde & Roundway in Wiltshire.

She said she regularly receives abusive emails and online comments.

"It is intimidating and it is threatening. People forget how that feels, there is a human behind the role."

Mayes said if there was this level of abuse when she started in local politics 20 years ago, she would not have joined.

Police forces are being offered extra support to investigate reports of crimes against MPs, which reached more than 1,000 last year.

Philip Grindell, CEO of Defuse Global, which advised Operation Bridger, the nationwide police protection programme which started after the murder of MP Jo Cox in 2016, said levels of abuse through communication is increasing, but the likelihood of a physical attack remains low.

"You cannot conflate one with the other," he said.

"Just because you get lots of threats online doesn't mean you're going to be under threat physically."

Grindell added not all MPs are recommending extra security measures.

"The biggest threat to MPs is their complacency," said Grindell.

"They have to have appointment-only surgeries and report issues to the police when they happen."

Some MPs would not share details of their security arrangements through fear it would make them more vulnerable to intimidation.

But Buckland said calls for mandatory bodyguards for MPs was a step too far.

"If we go for full throated body-guarded protection, they've won," he said.

"The bullet and bomb would be worth more than the ballot box."

Buckland added political debate also needs to be more respectful.

"Ann was vigorous in debate but unfailingly courteous, it is that tradition we must fight to preserve."

His independent review will report back later this year with recommendations.

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