Review of MP security needed after Widdecombe death, Burnham says
BBC News 2026-07-15 07:50:59
Context: Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has called for a serious review of MPs' security following the death of Ann Widdecombe, a Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative MP, who was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon. The killing is being investigated by counter-terrorism police, and has prompted renewed debate over the security offered to politicians. Burnham, who is expected to become prime minister next Monday, said politics had "darkened" in the decade he had been away from Westminster.
Key Facts
- Ann Widdecombe, a Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative MP, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, in a killing that is now being investigated by counter-terrorism police.
- 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.
- Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, has called for a serious review of MPs' security, saying that politics had "darkened" in the decade he had been away from Westminster.
- The Conservative government announced a £31m package to increase security for MPs in May 2024, and a 2022 review following the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess led to tailored security advice being given to MPs based on individual circumstances.
- Reform UK's Robert Jenrick accused the government of a "dereliction of duty" over Nigel Farage's taxpayer-funded security, claiming it had previously been "downgraded", although the Home Office said Jenrick's comments were "categorically untrue".