immediate tightening of security after reports of some people being physically assaulted
Staff used by MPs are calling for an immediate tightening of security after reports of some people being physically assaulted and receiving hundreds of threatening calls and messages.
A survey of more than 500 members of Parliament’s staff found that 78 per cent had received threatening communications, and nearly one in three feared for their own or colleagues’ safety.
Andy Burnham, the prime minister, plans to announce a review of MPs’ security this month following the murder of Anne Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman. Joshua Carey, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been charged with her murder.
In a survey of more than 500 staff working for MPs, 30% said they “often, often or always” fear for their safety or that of colleagues – up from 18.7% five years ago.
73 MPs’ staff said they “very or often” encountered racist or bigoted language from visitors, while 188 said they had experienced it occasionally. One in four said they had at least sometimes felt pressured to comply with requests that could compromise their safety.
While many said parliamentary authorities had listened to their safety concerns, others felt they were still treated worse than their MPs.
The Westminster-based Wellbeing Working Group (WWG), which represents and surveys MPs’ staff, said there was an “urgent” need for more protection for frontline staff who often act “as proxies for their MPs.”
The study, by Dr Ashley Weinberg, a psychologist at the University of Salford, found that one in two parliamentary staff are experiencing clinical levels of psychological distress, the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2021.
Describing the increase as “significant and sudden”, the WWG said: “It is clear that the most pressing problems at the present moment come from unsustainable workloads and that staff routinely face abuse, racist and sexist language, suicide threats, traumatic disclosures and threats of violence.”
Seventeen staff members said that none of the safety recommendations given to their MP had been implemented, while 59 (11% of 530 respondents) said that only “some” had.
He called on Commons officials to be empowered to impose tighter security when MPs or their office managers fail to comply. Many people feel threatened because security personnel often attend only in the presence of their MP, sometimes leaving office staff alone at official events organised in the MP’s name.
The WWG said, “Security arrangements should routinely be extended to MPs’ staff as if the MP were present… The urgency of this provision emphasises the role of staff members who are already acting as proxies for their MPs.“
A staff member said he had been physically assaulted twice in the past year, while another staffer said: “It has been made clear that the security operatives are only there to protect the MP.”
Another staff member said, “It is very wrong to be denied security unless an MP is present.” “Staff are out in the community representing the MP.
“Most people don’t know what an MP looks like and often think that staff members are MPs. We have to have security clearance when doing outreach sessions in the community.”
A spokesman for the House of Commons said it acknowledged the concerns raised by staff and was working with the WWG to strengthen the support available to them.
He added: “The qualifications of the members [MPs] are fundamental to our democracy, as they ensure that staff can safely carry out their role both inside and outside the parliamentary estate. Abuse and threats are completely unacceptable.”
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