UK expands police protection to non-MP political figures amid security concerns

The safety of Britain's political figures has become urgent enough that the government is now extending police protection beyond the walls of Parliament. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Monday that peers, former MPs, and party spokespeople will gain access to police support, a recognition that those in public life face threats that current arrangements have failed to contain.

Mahmood told MPs plainly: there is "insufficient protection" for people serving in public roles. The new support will include a named police officer and assistance with broader security measures, though she did not specify the exact form this would take. The announcement arrives as the country processes the death of Ann Widdecombe, the Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative MP who was found dead at her Devon home three months ago. She had been struck on the head with a hammer 21 times while eating lunch. Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with her murder and also with preparing acts of terror against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Investigators found that Kerry had spent two years researching prominent political targets and had attempted to gain entry to Farage's London home.

The timing reflects a broader pattern. Data released to the BBC in April showed that alleged offences against MPs have climbed steadily: 976 recorded in 2025, compared to 364 in 2019. Between 2019 and 2025, MPs reported 4,064 crimes to the Metropolitan Police's Parliamentary Liaison Team. Most involved malicious communications and harassment, though criminal damage and death threats have also risen. In 2025 alone, 50 death threats were reported against MPs—up from 31 the year before. This is not a new problem, but it is accelerating.

Mahmood acknowledged the weight of this history. "Robust debate and criticism are part of this job," she said in the Commons. "Threats, abuse and violence are not." She referenced the murders of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021 and Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016, framing the new protections as a debt owed to those who have died and to the principle of open democracy itself.

Alongside the expansion of police support, the government has commissioned an independent review of security arrangements for high-profile figures, including politicians and members of the royal family. The review will be led by Stephen Lovegrove, a former national security advisor, and will examine physical threats, online risks, and the dangers posed by an increasingly polarized society. It is expected to report within six months and will build on separate work already underway following Amess's murder.

The announcement drew support from the opposition. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp welcomed the extension of protective measures, framing threats to elected representatives as threats to democracy itself. Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf also welcomed the review but pointed to what he saw as a failure of urgency. "It is disappointing that it took the murder of one of our colleagues, countless threats towards our party spokespeople and months of campaigning from Reform UK to make this government take action," he said. Reform has spent months accusing the government of neglecting Farage's security, claiming his taxpayer-funded protection had been downgraded—a charge the Home Office has denied categorically.

The Jo Cox Foundation, named after the Labour MP murdered in 2016, welcomed the announcement but cautioned that physical security alone would not solve the problem. "We must also tackle the root causes—including online harms and education—to prevent future attacks," said chief executive Olivia Field. The security of current MPs and House of Lords members is managed by Parliament's own security team, while a separate independent committee handles protection for high-profile political candidates. The new announcement expands this web of responsibility, acknowledging that the threat to political life in Britain now extends beyond those currently holding office.