This is a tragic day for our democracy – MPs need to be able to safely carry out their jobs

Editorial: The killing of Sir David Amess is the second of a parliamentarian in a little more than five years. Things cannot continue as they are

Friday 15 October 2021 21:30 BST
Comments
Sir David Amess, who had served in parliament since 1983
Sir David Amess, who had served in parliament since 1983 (UK parliament/AFP/Getty)

The killing of Sir David Amess has shocked the nation. It is immensely sad, for his family, friends, those in politics, his constituents – who he served with great distinction – and indeed the wider community. All agree, he was a lovely man, and one of an independent mindset, an attractive personality in a world where generosity of spirit is not always found in abundance.

He was well-regarded in his various campaigns to improve the lives of his constituents, successively in Basildon and Southend, and he lived up to his sincere beliefs. Though a man with strong Thatcherite and Eurosceptic convictions and a formidable advocate for animal rights and opponent of fox hunting, he was graceful in debate, and never took himself – as opposed to his causes – too seriously.

The obvious questions are being raised about the safety of members of parliament, as they should be. In recent years there have been too many attacks on prominent politicians, and constituency surgeries leave them particularly exposed. The death of Jo Cox and serious injuries to Stephen Timms and Nigel Jones highlight just how hazardous it can be for an MP to carry out their most central of responsibilities. Attacks are rare, of course, but the balance between accessibility and security obviously needs to be rethought.

Many MPs – and Sir David would have been among them – regard their contact with their voters to be an essential part of the job, informing their opinions as well as fulfilling a duty to serve; but they now need to put their own safety first. Safety provisions around constituency surgeries, public meetings and the like should be reviewed. A potential light police presence would act as a deterrent, as well as an immediate line of defence. Once again, protocols around the homes and offices of politicians also need to be looked at. Spending on MPs’ security has risen in the years since the killing of Ms Cox, but more needs to be done.

No democratic representative – who is providing service to the nation – should find themselves a target. In an ever-more divided political landscape where threats, particularly via social media, are becoming more common, the time has come where MPs should be able to rely on the police to protect them from what might turn out to be much more serious incidents. Much the same goes for councillors and people standing for election to the devolved parliaments.

It is unfortunate that things have developed in this way, and politics will be all the more devalued if more distance is placed between MPs, parliamentary candidates, councillors and the public, but the rule should be safety first. They may not always command the respect of some of the public, but people in public life have as much right as anyone to their safety.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in