A serious review of MPs’ security is needed following the death of Ann Widdecombe, Andy Burnham has said.
The former Greater Manchester mayor, who is expected to become prime minister next Monday, said politics had “darkened” in the decade he had been away from Westminster.
He said he was “shocked to see how much security now has to be in place”, but added that it may need to be increased further still.
The killing of Widdecombe – a Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative MP – is now being investigated by counter-terrorism police, and has prompted renewed debate over the security offered to politicians.
A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, before being re-arrested on Monday on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
A leading figure on the right of British politics, the former minister was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon on Thursday.
Asked why he thought frontline politics had become so dangerous, Burnham said: “It’s easy to blame social media, but it feels like it’s having some impact in just building that kind of toxicity that’s around the political debate.”
He added: “It’s obviously appalling what happened to Ann.
“I knew Ann over many years in the House – we got along and everybody got along, but it feels like something has changed.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Reform’s Robert Jenrick accused the government of a “dereliction of duty” over Nigel Farage’s taxpayer-funded security, claiming it had previously been “downgraded”.
Jenrick said his party leader had not been offered the security he needed, after it emerged Reform turned down an offer of government-funded security last year.
The Home Office said Jenrick’s comments were “categorically untrue”, with a spokesperson adding that ministers were not involved in deciding MPs’ security.
Decisions over the security of current MPs and members of the House of Lords are made by the House of Parliament’s security team.
There is a separate, independent committee, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), to deal with high profile political candidates, which is staffed by officials from the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The safety of politicians has been a prominent issue in recent years, with the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021 and Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016.
The Conservative government announced a £31m package to increase security for MPs in May 2024.
A 2022 review following Sir David’s murder also led to tailored security advice being given to MPs based on individual circumstances, rather than a standardised set of measures.
