Security vetting stepped up after MP is given bodyguard with far-right links
Summary
A security company called Mitie, which protects UK Members of Parliament (MPs), has improved its background checks after it was discovered that a bodyguard with far-right ties was assigned to protect an MP. Threats and attacks against MPs, particularly from extremists, have increased, leading to more protective measures.Key Facts
- Mitie has a £31 million contract to provide bodyguards for MPs in the UK.
- The company now regularly checks the social media of bodyguards both before and during their employment.
- Threats against MPs have risen to levels not seen since the 1970s and 1980s terrorism periods.
- High-profile MP killings include David Amess in 2021 and Jo Cox five years earlier.
- Crimes and harassment against MPs doubled over two years, reaching nearly 1,000 cases annually by March.
- Female MPs and ethnic minority MPs face especially severe abuse, including threats that discourage political participation.
- A taskforce called Defending Democracy works across the government to protect democratic institutions.
- Security Minister Dan Jarvis described the threat to politicians as “unprecedented,” noting violence, stalking, and online abuse.
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