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Parliamentary and district officials have increasingly had to take on the responsibility of protecting members of Congress, following an increase in abuses following the Israel-Hamas war.
Staff at members of Congress’ offices say they are taking extra precautions to protect themselves and their employers, raising concerns about the possibility of violence in the upcoming election.
One person who works for a Conservative MP said: I “There are limits to what the police can do,” he said, so much of the protection for MPs “has to be dealt with by parliament and constituency offices.”
The worker added: “We always have to be careful about the whereabouts of our MPs, but concerns about them have increased in recent weeks.”
They said additional surveillance cameras were installed and steps were taken to ensure MPs were never alone in their offices.
They explained that staff are “more concerned than usual” about violence when it comes to general elections, but that they feel safe at the moment because “we are well equipped”.
Matthew Torbit, who works for Christian Wakeford, Labor MP for Bury South, said he walked the MP home after voting over safety concerns.
“This election has made me worried for the first time. Verbal abuse is not an issue. I accept that, but I’m more worried about violence than I was in 2019,” he said.
Mr Wakeford’s office, like many other parliamentary offices, provided details of his itinerary to Operation Bridger, the protection system set up in the wake of the 2016 murder of Labor MP Jo Cox. There is.
Mr Torbitt said team members had been provided with “equipment to facilitate the arrival of police”.
Another Labor staffer said the office had “definitely had to step up security” in recent weeks, with staff and activists taking extra steps to ensure the safety of local MPs. he said.
“The main difference is that whenever we go campaigning, someone has to stand by when the MP knocks on the door and then escort them to the car, but before the first cease-and-desist vote. It wasn’t something we had to think about,” the staff member said.
There have been particular concerns about the safety of MPs after around 80 people gathered outside the home of Conservative Party leader Tobias Ellwood earlier this month, and several people’s homes and offices were targeted in protests.
According to , three members of Congress were assigned taxpayer-funded bodyguards due to safety concerns. Sunday Times, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has also led efforts to strengthen member states’ safety and security.
The newspaper reported that the three unnamed MPs were provided with chauffeured cars, normally reserved for senior ministers, and personal protective equipment provided by a private company.
Concerns over the safety of MPs were heightened last week as the House of Commons descended into chaos after the Speaker passed Labor’s amendment to an SNP motion on the war in Gaza, contrary to protocol.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle said concerns for the safety of MPs were a key factor in the decision to accept the amendment and give MPs the opportunity to express a wide range of views in the House of Commons.