Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has said that all MPs should be given a basic level of security following the murder of Ann Widdecombe.
He told The Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: “The calibre of our politics has declined in recent years. People want the best and the brightest to be going to serve their country, to serve in government if they have the opportunity, and I don’t want to see people being put off because they’re worried about their own personal security or that of their family. In my time in politics, which is only 13 years now, I’ve seen two serving members of parliament murdered.
“Others face very, very serious threats, and now one former member of parliament murdered as well. And we’ll learn more about the motive. But it seems from what the police have said that it was a politically motivated murder. And so we have to ensure that the members of parliament are properly looked after. Surely it could be on a case by case basis.
“I’m sure the level of security would depend on the individual and the risk assessment, but the point that we’ve made is that every member of parliament should be offered a basic level of security so that they can feel safe going about their business and never feel that they have to somehow temper their opinions.
“Because the reason why I believe Reform MPs have become at greater threat than some others is because, as a group of people, we’ve been willing to make arguments that are outside of the mainstream. If you say that Islamist extremism is a grave existential threat to this country, then you may attract extremists who come and endanger you and your family.
“I’ve had death threats. Nigel has death threats. If you make the argument about small boats, that these represent a national security threat to this country, then it is perfectly possible that that brings threats to your own door. And look what happened to Nigel, where somebody crossed the channel in a small boat, going on TikTok saying that he was coming over specifically to kill Nigel, that disgusting individual is now in prison, having been convicted of conspiring to murder him.”
On the cost, he said: “We’ve put a price tag on it of around £100 million, so I don’t pretend that that is that is nothing at a time when everybody’s feeling hard up at the moment. But I go back to: what is the alternative?
“The alternative is good people being put off going into politics and more sitting members of parliament of all political persuasions being murdered.
“I would just say that I continue to find it shocking that Nigel had his security downgraded just after that individual was convicted of attempting to murder him. If I was Chancellor of the Exchequer, if Zia [Yusuf] was Home Secretary, we would provide our opponents with all the security that they need if it’s justified.
“I can only believe that Nigel was downgraded because of his political views. I don’t know any other politician [who] would have been placed in that position.
“Let me just say this: Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, drives around the city in an armoured car with a full complement of police officers. Now I’m not begrudging him that because he may well be under he may well be under serious threats.
“But if he is offered that, why is Nigel Farage not when Nigel has received hundreds and hundreds of threats, which Reform has documented in recent times, and another man was only arrested in the week for threatening to kill him? It suggests to me that it has been politicised.”
