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Attack on Jo Cox is only the latest serious assault against an MP Attack on Jo Cox is only the latest serious assault against an MP
(35 minutes later)
The attack on Jo Cox is the latest serious assault against a member of parliament. The killing of Jo Cox is the latest serious assault against a member of parliament.
In 2000, Liberal Democrat peer Nigel Jones was attacked during a constituency surgery when he was an MP. Lord Jones was wounded and his aide, Andrew Pennington, was stabbed to death in a sword attack at the party’s office in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. During the Troubles, Irish Republicans frequently targeted ministers. In 1979, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary Airey Neave was killed by a car bomb as he left the House of Commons car park. The Irish National Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the killing.
The IRA Brighton hotel bombing in 1984 targeted then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. Five people were killed, including a Conservative MP, Sir Anthony Berry. His wife was injured but survived.
More recently, in 2000, Liberal Democrat peer Nigel Jones was attacked during a constituency surgery when he was an MP. Lord Jones was wounded and his aide, Andrew Pennington, was stabbed to death in a sword attack at the party’s office in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
The last serious assault on a parliamentarian was the 2010 stabbing of Labour MP Stephen Timms.The last serious assault on a parliamentarian was the 2010 stabbing of Labour MP Stephen Timms.
Timms, MP for East Ham, was stabbed twice in the stomach at his constituency surgery in east London on 14 May 2010. The surgeon who operated on him described the injuries he suffered as “potentially life-threatening” because of the possible loss of blood and infection had he not been treated. He spent five days in hospital with abdominal injuries.Timms, MP for East Ham, was stabbed twice in the stomach at his constituency surgery in east London on 14 May 2010. The surgeon who operated on him described the injuries he suffered as “potentially life-threatening” because of the possible loss of blood and infection had he not been treated. He spent five days in hospital with abdominal injuries.
His attacker was a 21-year-old radicalised student, Roshonara Choudhry, who told police she wanted to kill the former government minister for supporting the Iraq war. She was pulled off the MP by his assistant and held by a security guard.His attacker was a 21-year-old radicalised student, Roshonara Choudhry, who told police she wanted to kill the former government minister for supporting the Iraq war. She was pulled off the MP by his assistant and held by a security guard.
Choudhry, who was radicalised online, confessed to police the same day. In November 2010, she was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years after being convicted of attempted murder.Choudhry, who was radicalised online, confessed to police the same day. In November 2010, she was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years after being convicted of attempted murder.
After returning to work, Timms reviewed his security arrangements. Others, including the then acting Labour leader, Harriet Harman, expressed concerns about the risks MPs were exposed to and said parliament needed to think about how they were minimised.After returning to work, Timms reviewed his security arrangements. Others, including the then acting Labour leader, Harriet Harman, expressed concerns about the risks MPs were exposed to and said parliament needed to think about how they were minimised.
A study published earlier this year found that one in five MPs (43 out of the 239 who responded to the survey) had been subjected to an attack or attempted attacks.A study published earlier this year found that one in five MPs (43 out of the 239 who responded to the survey) had been subjected to an attack or attempted attacks.
In the 2000 attack on Henry Jones, he wrestled with his attacker, a regular visitor to his surgery, Robert Ashman, suffering severe cuts to his palms as he tried to grab the blade. He eventually escaped and raised the alarm but his friend and assistant, Lib Dem councillor Andrew Pennington, 39, who tried to protect Jones, was stabbed to death.In the 2000 attack on Henry Jones, he wrestled with his attacker, a regular visitor to his surgery, Robert Ashman, suffering severe cuts to his palms as he tried to grab the blade. He eventually escaped and raised the alarm but his friend and assistant, Lib Dem councillor Andrew Pennington, 39, who tried to protect Jones, was stabbed to death.
Ashman was initially sent to a secure hospital for an indefinite time after a jury decided he was unfit to stand trial. But in 2003 he admitted manslaughter and was convicted of attempted murder. He was released in 2008.Ashman was initially sent to a secure hospital for an indefinite time after a jury decided he was unfit to stand trial. But in 2003 he admitted manslaughter and was convicted of attempted murder. He was released in 2008.
That attack prompted MPs to increase security arrangements at their constituency offices.That attack prompted MPs to increase security arrangements at their constituency offices.
During the Troubles, Irish Republicans frequently targeted ministers. In 1979, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary Airey Neave was killed by a car bomb as he left the House of Commons car park. The Irish National Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the killing. Tory whip Gavin Barwell was threatened outside his constituency office in Croydon last week. He said meeting people in unsecured locations was part of an MP’s job. To “lock them away” from the public would be a terrible thing for democracy, he said. “My prayers are with Jo and I hope she is OK,” Barwell told the Press Association.
The IRA Brighton hotel bombing in 1984 targeted then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. Five people were killed, including a Conservative MP, Sir Anthony Barry. “It is an unavoidable part of the job that we meet constituents in lots of unsecured locations – on the streets, fairs, meetings.
Tory whip Gavin Barwell was threatened outside his constituency office in Croydon last week.
He said meeting people in unsecured locations was part of an MP’s job. To “lock them away” from the public would be a terrible thing for democracy, he said. “My prayers are with Jo and I hope she is OK,” Barwell told the Press Association.
“It is an unavoidable part of the job that we meet constituents in lots of unsecured locations - on the streets, fairs, meetings.
“Unless you sort of lock MPs away from the public, which would be a terrible thing for our democracy, you can’t remove the threat unfortunately. All you can do is take sensible advice and make sure your office is as safe as possible,” he said.“Unless you sort of lock MPs away from the public, which would be a terrible thing for our democracy, you can’t remove the threat unfortunately. All you can do is take sensible advice and make sure your office is as safe as possible,” he said.
Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey told BBC News: “We’ve had in the past serious attacks on MPs – for example, my dear friend Stephen – and then additional security measures were taken, and I think fresh security guidance might now be necessary at the next stages.Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey told BBC News: “We’ve had in the past serious attacks on MPs – for example, my dear friend Stephen – and then additional security measures were taken, and I think fresh security guidance might now be necessary at the next stages.
“But that is for the next stages. For today, our thoughts are with Jo.” “But that is for the next stages. For today, our thoughts are with Jo.
Dromey said he intended to continue with his planned surgeries. He said: “The very last thing that can happen is for us to be intimidated from doing our job. The public expect us to be out there on their behalf. “The very last thing that can happen is for us to be intimidated from doing our job. The public expect us to be out there on their behalf.”
“I have got a surgery – one on Friday, one on Saturday – and I will be there and of course we are talking to the local police about any sensible security measures that might be taken, but what we cannot allow to happen is for savagery of this kind to stop the democratic process of members of parliament doing their job, because that is what the people expect.” Airey Neave assassinated
Airey Neave’s vehicle was destroyed as he drove out from the underground car park beneath parliament’s new Palace Yard. A former army officer, who had successfully escaped from Colditz during the second world war, had been an outspoken opponent of Republican violence during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Unionist MP the Rev Robert Bradford was assassinated by IRA gunmen in November 1981 while attending a political surgery at community centre in south Belfast. A caretaker was also killed in the attack. Another UUP MP, Edgar Graham, was killed in December 1983. A law lecturer at Queen’s University in Belfast, he was chatting to a colleague on campus when IRA gunmen walked up to him and shot him repeatedly in the head. Ian Gow, another Conservative MP and former army officer who was opposed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement, was killed outside his East Sussex home in July 1990 when the IRA placed a Semtex car bomb under his Austin Montego. The IRA claimed responsibility for the murder, stating that the MP for Eastbourne had been targeted because he was a “close personal associate” of the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.The only prime minister assassinated while in office was Spencer Percival who was shot in 1812 in the lobby of the House of Commons by a man with a personal grievance against the government.