Commons security review launched
A review of security at the Palace of Westminster has been launched after two protestors threw missiles at Tony Blair.
The Prime Minister was struck on the shoulder by a condom filled with purple flour, thrown from the visitor’s gallery. The chamber was quickly evacuated and proceedings were suspended for one hour while it was established that the substance was harmless.
Leader of the House, Peter Hain, confirmed he would be meeting the deputy director of MI5 to discuss security issues.
Speaking on the Today programme he admitted that Wednesday’s security breach was “a very embarrassing lapse”.
He said: “There are all sorts of very important lessons we have to draw from yesterday and if there’s any consolation from this attack, then it was that everybody’s had a very dramatic wake-up call.”
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis described the incident as an example where security has failed and incompetence has prevailed.
He said: “This incident is profoundly disturbing in the current security situation. In the same week as a Windsor security alert, it is clear that there are serious security concerns which have still not been addressed.”
Only a few months ago the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens warned that a terrorist attack on London was almost inevitable.
Business in the House of Commons has been suspended twice in a matter of months. In the recent debate on Iraq, business was suspended due to protestors in the public gallery shouting out. Prior to this the Commons was last suspended in 1987.
Security has been stepped up in and around Parliament of late. Concrete blocks have been installed around the perimeter of the Palace of Westminster to prevent attacks by road. Inside the House of Commons, a transparent screen has been erected around the public gallery on security advice.
Mr Davis commented: “The glass screen in the House of Commons was meant to prevent attacks like this. Questions must be asked about how we prevent such an attack happening again.”
Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, was surprised that the public gallery remained open when parliamentary business resumed yesterday afternoon.
He said: “Given that it is just a few hours since an attack on the Prime Minister it is surprising that the public gallery remains open.
“Surely all members of the public should be seated behind the glass security screen until a full review of security has been completed.”
Two men aged 48 and 36 were arrested by police shortly after the incident and are being detained in a central London police station.
The men were guests of Labour peer Baroness Golding who has a strong interest in children’s rights and is the Chairman of the Second Chance children’s charity.
In a statement she said that she was “deeply distressed” by the incident and offered her “unreserved apologies” to MPs and fellow peers. She pledged “every support and co-operation” to the investigating authorities.
The Speaker of the House has suspended the right of peers to sign visitors into the Commons until further investigation.
Pressure group Fathers4Justice claimed responsibility for the incident. One of the men is reported to have spoken to Mr Blair on a radio interview a few weeks ago in which the Prime Minister promised to look at ways to ensure children “retained meaningful contact with their fathers.” The group claims that the Prime Minister broke his promise in a recent letter.
Today was the first in a series of planned protests by Father4Justice leading up to Fathers Day on June 16 to highlight the unequal treatment they claim is metered out to fathers in family courts.
