Police commissioner says round the clock protection for MPs is ‘unrealistic’

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, spoke out after the Conservative MP was stabbed to death during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex earlier this month.

He said police forces across the country have contacted MPs to review their security, but there is “only so much that can be done” and he is concerned that additional measures “will only serve to make our MPs seem more remote and less accessible”.

It comes after the Government offered MPs security guards for constituency surgeries, and Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Commons that intelligence officers had upgraded the threat level for MPs to “substantial”, meaning a fresh attack is deemed likely.

On his website, Dr Billings wrote: “A range of common sense measures can be taken – such as only seeing people by appointment, which is what I do. Even so, Sir David’s attacker may have made an appointment.

“It is unrealistic to suppose that there can be police protection always and everywhere. MPs go to events and meetings almost every week. Jo Cox was not murdered at her surgery but in the street.

“Sometimes I have joined South Yorkshire MPs at a ‘street surgery’, which is advertised on social media. We stand in the street and people walk up to us to have conversations. At moments like these, everyone is vulnerable.

“Even secure buildings are never as secure as we would like.”

He added: “We shall have to await the review of security now underway. But whatever recommendations are made, the chances are that they will only serve to make our MPs seem more remote and less accessible – which is what neither we nor they want.

“We must do what we can, but at the end of the day it will still be about relative risks and mitigations. There is only so much that can be done.”

Dr Billings, a former parish priest, also said more needs to be done to prevent people from being drawn to violence and politicians must refrain from using divisive language, adding: “We don’t want to hear any more talk about political opponents as scum.”

Earlier this week, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote to MPs and warned that their safety is at risk from a “small minority of hostile individuals”.

They also said a “trained and accredited security operative will be available to come to your constituency surgeries”.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been charged with murder and the preparation of terrorist acts, following Sir Amess' death and he is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey in March.