Security arrangements for some of Britain’s most high-profile public figures, including politicians and members of the Royal Family, are to be urgently reviewed following the alleged murder of Ann Widdecombe.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an overhaul of the protection system on Monday amid growing concerns over the safety of those in public life.
The review will examine whether existing security measures are fit for purpose, including those covering government ministers, MPs, senior political figures and royals.
It comes three months after former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Miss Widdecombe, 78, was killed at her home in Devon.
Addressing MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon, Ms Mahmood confirmed that police support would be expanded to cover political figures who do not currently sit in Parliament.
The move could provide greater protection for former MPs and other prominent politicians who remain in the public eye despite no longer holding elected office.
Sir Stephen Lovegrove, a former national security adviser and senior civil servant, has been appointed to lead the independent review.
He will examine the UK’s existing protective arrangements and whether they are sufficient to safeguard prominent public figures against potential threats.
Ms Widdecombe died on July 8 after she was hit over the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon
A court heard Joshua Kerry – who is charged with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe – was motivated by an extreme left-wing mindset and ‘hostility to Reform’
Ms Mahmood said: ‘Those who enter public life do so to serve. Robust debate and criticism are part of the job. Threats, abuse and violence are not.
‘An attack on any individual in public life is an attack on every one of us, and it is an attack on democracy itself.
‘We owe it to those public servants we have tragically lost, and to everyone who believes in a fair and open country, to ensure those who serve receive the protection they deserve.’
The announcement follows mounting pressure on ministers to strengthen security after Miss Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor, on Dartmoor, in July.
Joshua Kerry, 28, who was from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been charged with her murder.
He has also been charged with terrorism-related offences following an investigation that examined alleged threats against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
At a court hearing last week, prosecutors alleged Kerry had carried out extensive research into public figures and institutions and attempted to gain access to Mr Farage’s home.
The allegations have not been proven, and criminal proceedings remain ongoing.
Miss Widdecombe’s death sparked alarm across Westminster, with politicians raising concerns about the risks facing those in public life, particularly outside the protection afforded to serving MPs.
The veteran politician represented Maidstone and later Maidstone and the Weald as a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010, before becoming a Brexit Party MEP and subsequently a spokeswoman for Reform UK.
Her murder also revived painful memories of the killings of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021.
Both were murdered while carrying out their duties as elected representatives, prompting repeated calls for greater protection for politicians and their staff.
The latest review will raise questions about whether existing arrangements adequately reflect the risks faced by political figures after they leave Parliament, particularly those who continue to attract significant public attention.
It also places renewed scrutiny on the balance between protecting public figures and ensuring politicians remain accessible to the people they represent.
