James Cleverly has waded in to condemn “wrong and undemocratic” intimidation of MPs, after a major protest outside the family home of Tory MP Tobias Ellwood reignited questions about security.
The Home Secretary said that he and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle will continue to work with Parliamentary security and the police to “keep measures for MPs under constant review”.
He added: “MPs shouldn’t have to choose between their family’s safety and representing their community.”
Mr Cleverly’s intervention came after MPs and the Home Office condemned scenes in Bournemouth on Tuesday evening, which saw around 100 pro-Palestine supporters target the private home of Mr Ellwood, while his two children were present.
Despite mounting worries about MP security, the police deemed the protest peaceful and were filmed standing idly by.
This morning, Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis revealed he has put “bulletproof clingfilm” on the windows of his home, and had panic alarms installed in his bedroom.
In an impassioned statement on GB News, the Stoke MP warned he would “take action into my own hands” if he felt his family were threatened, and the police failed to take action.
He said: “I’m not having my three-year-old daughter, my two-year-old son and my fiancée put in danger because a bunch of thugs want to turn up outside my house and intimidate.
“My children and my fiancée should not fall victim to the fact that I happen to be the MP and that I have a certain view, which by the way, may not be shared in my own household.”
Last night, Alicia Kearns MP told the Express: “It is wholly unacceptable for a public servant’s private home to be targeted.
“This has a chilling effect on political discourse, and serves only to push politicians to the point where they question whether it is all worth it, especially for their families. We treasure in our country that our MPs live in our communities with such a close relationship with those we represent.
“This sort of siege tactic, and the divisiveness of discourse around every aspect of politics at the moment, rewards only those who feed on hatred and will have but one result – the driving out of those who refuse to race to the gutter.”
Fellow Tory Caroline Dinenage warned that the kind of intimidating behaviour towards MPs will “inevitably stop prospective MPs stepping forward”.
Despite the Police’s inaction in Bournemouth, the Home Office condemned the targeting of Mr Ellwood.
They said security measures for MPs “are kept under review”.
In November, Sir Lindsay Hoyle announced he was relaxing rules around expensing taxis as part of a new set of security protocols.
Responding to heightened intimidation and targeting of MPs following the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas, Sir Lindsay revealed the Met Police had agreed to extend high visibility uniformed patrols outside Parliament during sitting days.
He said he hoped it would provide “greater reassurance for colleagues, staff and the public”.
