Politicians facing ‘horrific’ culture of violence, Cabinet minister says
Politicians face a “horrific” culture of violence which has become worse in recent years, a Cabinet minister has warned.
Treasury Chief Secretary Lucy Rigby said it was a “sad and troubling” reality that the threats facing MPs and others in public life had increased.
The alleged murder of former Tory minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has heightened concerns at Westminster about the security risks facing current and former MPs.
Ms Rigby told BBC Breakfast: “There is just this increasing climate of abuse and intimidation, including via social media, and in the very worst cases extreme violence.
“I certainly wish that we didn’t live in a country where this was a fact of life.
“We need Members of Parliament, but everyone involved in public life, to be able to go about their work freely. This is key to living in a democracy.”
She said MPs were offered increased security: “I think it’s really troubling – more than troubling, it’s pretty horrific, really – this increased culture of violence that affects those in public life.
“I know plenty of people of both genders, although they tend to be more women, who have thought to themselves – thought very hard – about standing for Parliament, or even standing to be a councillor for their local authority, because of threats of violence, violent threats involving people’s families.
“It’s horrific that we have to deal with this, but we do.”
Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into Miss Widdecombe’s death.
She was found dead at her home in Haytor, on Dartmoor in Devon, on Thursday.
A 28-year-old white British man who was arrested on suspicion of her murder on Saturday has since been rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Miss Widdecombe’s death follows the murders of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021 and Labour’s Jo Cox in 2016.
Senior figures in Reform have complained about the level of security their party and its leader Nigel Farage have been offered.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has offered the Reform leader a meeting with the chairman of the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), the body responsible for security of high-profile figures.
But Reform’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said Mr Farage’s state-funded security had been downgraded.
Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “I find it astonishing that just a short period after he was elected to Parliament, the authorities, the Government, chose to massively downgrade his security.
“I can’t see any good explanation for that, and the events of the last week have only shone a light on that.
“It shouldn’t have taken the death of Ann Widdecombe for Nigel Farage to be given a meeting with the relevant Home Office committee.”
The i Paper reported that Mr Farage was offered a security package similar to the level offered to Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch including a bodyguard, car and trained driver last year.
But he turned that down because he considered that to be a downgrade on what he had previously received.
Mr Jenrick told Today: “He initially was given a comprehensive plan, which I think was commensurate with the threat that he faced. I’ve been out and about with Nigel across the country, and I’ve seen the dangers that he faces every day.
“And then that was downgraded.
“I don’t know why. Maybe that will be explained to Nigel when he meets the committee.”
He added: “I do think that politics comes into this because it seems like the Government, parts of the media, are very, very blase about the security of Reform.”
In the Commons on Monday, the Home Secretary and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle insisted there was no political bias in the security offered to MPs.
Sir Lindsay said: “Every member of Parliament is equal in their security to me – there is no difference between any member, I want to reassure you.
“When things are brought to my attention – because we don’t discuss security, I don’t put out there what is happening, what has been done – but I reassure everybody that when it is mentioned to me, it is passed on to the security people to deal with.
“Unfortunately, I’m sorry that people don’t think I do that.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub