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| Scotland Yard to review Cameron’s security after ‘shove by jogger’ | Scotland Yard to review Cameron’s security after ‘shove by jogger’ |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Scotland Yard has said it will carry out a review after a man ran up to David Cameron and appeared to shove him as he left a press conference in Leeds. | Scotland Yard has said it will carry out a review after a man ran up to David Cameron and appeared to shove him as he left a press conference in Leeds. |
| The man was released shortly after being arrested but the incident raised questions among some about the prime minister’s security arrangements, which are the responsibilty of Scotland Yard’s specialist protection command. | The man was released shortly after being arrested but the incident raised questions among some about the prime minister’s security arrangements, which are the responsibilty of Scotland Yard’s specialist protection command. |
| The statement from Scotland Yard followed criticism from one Conservative backbench MP and repeated replays of the incident on television news channels and news websites. | The statement from Scotland Yard followed criticism from one Conservative backbench MP and repeated replays of the incident on television news channels and news websites. |
| The statement read: “The MPS [Metropolitan police service] specialist protection command is responsible for the personal protection of the prime minister and will now conduct a review of the incident in consultation with West Yorkshire police.” | The statement read: “The MPS [Metropolitan police service] specialist protection command is responsible for the personal protection of the prime minister and will now conduct a review of the incident in consultation with West Yorkshire police.” |
| Cameron thanked his security team and joked about the encounter. | |
| “Could I put on the record for once the debt I owe to the close protection teams that look after me and the very good job that they do,” he said. “John Prescott was in the room as I gave the speech, so as I left the room I thought the moment of maximum danger had probably passed. But clearly that wasn’t the case.” | |
| During the 2001 general election campaign, Labour former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott punched a protester who threw an egg at him. | |
| The prime minister’s official spokesman said Cameron expressed his “gratitude and confidence” in the protection team. | |
| Downing Street will cooperate with the Met’s review of the incident, the spokesman added. | |
| West Yorkshire police, which covers the Leeds area, said there was “nothing sinister” about the incident, captured on camera, and that it was “just a man in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Security staff bundled the man to the ground while others hurried Cameron into his car. | West Yorkshire police, which covers the Leeds area, said there was “nothing sinister” about the incident, captured on camera, and that it was “just a man in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Security staff bundled the man to the ground while others hurried Cameron into his car. |
| Cameron was outside Leeds civic hall after speaking on the second phase of the £50bn HS2 project. Ch Insp Derek Hughes, of West Yorkshire police, said: “Around midday today, a 28-year-old local man was briefly arrested after he came close to the prime minster’s group.“No threats were made, and after the man’s details were checked he was de-arrested and allowed on his way.” | Cameron was outside Leeds civic hall after speaking on the second phase of the £50bn HS2 project. Ch Insp Derek Hughes, of West Yorkshire police, said: “Around midday today, a 28-year-old local man was briefly arrested after he came close to the prime minster’s group.“No threats were made, and after the man’s details were checked he was de-arrested and allowed on his way.” |
| It is understood the man claimed he was jogging when he apparently ran too close to the prime minister. | It is understood the man claimed he was jogging when he apparently ran too close to the prime minister. |
| Dean Farley, who claims to be the man who ran into the prime minister, later said on his Facebook page: “So I’m all over the news as ‘the protester that attacked David Cameron in Leeds’. Yeah, if you call brushing into someone while running then getting assault …” | |
| But the incident is bound to raise concern at a time when the level of threat from international terrorism to Britain has been raised from substantial to severe. | But the incident is bound to raise concern at a time when the level of threat from international terrorism to Britain has been raised from substantial to severe. |
| Mark Pritchard, Tory MP for the Wrekin, demanded a full investigation into how the Met security team allowed the man to get so close to the prime minister. He called for Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner, to launch an immediate internal inquiry. | Mark Pritchard, Tory MP for the Wrekin, demanded a full investigation into how the Met security team allowed the man to get so close to the prime minister. He called for Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner, to launch an immediate internal inquiry. |
| “The Met police have some of the best close protection officers in the world,” said Pritchard. “However, this was a clear breach of security and could have been far more sinister in outcome. With the terror threat level increased, this cannot be allowed to happen again. | “The Met police have some of the best close protection officers in the world,” said Pritchard. “However, this was a clear breach of security and could have been far more sinister in outcome. With the terror threat level increased, this cannot be allowed to happen again. |
| “The Met commissioner should call an immediate and swift internal inquiry to discover why this happened and implement the necessary lessons learned as quickly as possible.” | “The Met commissioner should call an immediate and swift internal inquiry to discover why this happened and implement the necessary lessons learned as quickly as possible.” |
| Chris Wilson, a witness, described the man as “just a typical hippy type”. “It looked like Cameron sidestepped him,” he said. “It was a lovely little move. He should be on the stage, really. And then he was tackled by the person behind. And then [Cameron] was in the car and the car was gone. They were on him. They were like flies round poo. One minute he was down, then he was up again and moving. It was fast.” | Chris Wilson, a witness, described the man as “just a typical hippy type”. “It looked like Cameron sidestepped him,” he said. “It was a lovely little move. He should be on the stage, really. And then he was tackled by the person behind. And then [Cameron] was in the car and the car was gone. They were on him. They were like flies round poo. One minute he was down, then he was up again and moving. It was fast.” |
| Wilson said the man ran about 10 yards across the road towards the prime minister. He said he was white, with a beard and dreadlocks. The prime minister looked round, he said, but did not seemed worried. | Wilson said the man ran about 10 yards across the road towards the prime minister. He said he was white, with a beard and dreadlocks. The prime minister looked round, he said, but did not seemed worried. |
| The decision to raise the threat level was announced by Theresa May in August, when the home secretary said it was “related to developments in Syria and Iraq, where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the west”. | The decision to raise the threat level was announced by Theresa May in August, when the home secretary said it was “related to developments in Syria and Iraq, where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the west”. |
| She said some of the plots were likely to involve foreign fighters who had travelled to the Middle East from Britain and Europe to take part in the conflicts there. | She said some of the plots were likely to involve foreign fighters who had travelled to the Middle East from Britain and Europe to take part in the conflicts there. |
| The official threat level assessment last stood at severe more than three years ago when it was reduced to substantial on 11 July 2011. Severe is the fourth level in the five-tier system of alert categories that have been used by the government since 2006 to warn of terrorist activity. The only higher level is critical, when an attack is expected imminently. | The official threat level assessment last stood at severe more than three years ago when it was reduced to substantial on 11 July 2011. Severe is the fourth level in the five-tier system of alert categories that have been used by the government since 2006 to warn of terrorist activity. The only higher level is critical, when an attack is expected imminently. |