Threats To MPs Should Be Classed As Terrorism, Says Government Adviser On Terrorism Law

Sophie Church

@sophiealichurch

In an interview with The House magazine, Jonathan Hall, the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, said the police should be “open to carrying out terrorism investigations” where they find threats of violence towards MPs.

Hall said terrorism as currently defined in this country is "absolutely what's in play" when MPs receive violent threats.

"The definition of terrorism is really simple," he said.

"It's violence or threat of violence in order to advance a cause – for example, a political, racial, religious cause – and it's done with the intent to influence the government or intimidate the population.

"That is absolutely what's in play where MPs are being threatened with rape and death.”

He added that while he is not suggesting "terrorism should suddenly rain down" when it comes to people threatening MPs on social media, there is a "role" for that sort of investigation to play.

"It does have an effect on national security, and really is threatening democracy.”

Hall said he has been in discussions with both the previous Tory government and the Keir Starmer administration about having threats of violence to MPs investigated as terror offences.

Terrorism investigations are conducted by Counter Terrorism Policing, a specialist branch of the Metropolitan Police. Under a terrorism investigation, police are able to detain a suspect for up to 14 days before charging them, compared to four days for a standard arrest. Police can also arrest suspects without a warrant, and are able to stop and search more freely.

Hall said recent unrest over Gaza, which led to MPs feeling intimidated over House of Commons votes, could be a sign of things to come if threats against politicians are not dealt with, adding that "protest" cannot be seen as an excuse for threats of violence.

“You can see how the foundations of the shared state could begin to be shaken if politicians felt they couldn't vote in a certain way," he said.

“The police should be open to carrying out terrorism investigations if they find concerted and organised threats – not use of violence – but threats of violence to MPs,” he said.

“The police shouldn't take that off the table, just because it's done under cover of being protest activity.”

The threat of violence towards politicians has been a growing concern in recent years in British politics, with annual spending on the safety of MPs and their staff rising from £160,000 in 2015/2016 to several million today. Two MPs, Jo Cox and David Amess, have been murdered since 2016. 

The recent General Election campaign saw aggression towards politicians – with several Labour candidates reporting being harassed and intimidated over Labour’s stance on the Middle East.

In February, the Rishi Sunak government committed an additional £31m for new security provisions for MPs. Ministers said this would be used to “enhance police capabilities, increase private sector security provisions for those facing a higher risk, and expand cyber security advice” to MPs.

These added measures would also ensure “all elected representatives and candidates have a dedicated named police contact to liaise with on security matters, significantly expanding the support provided under current policing arrangements".

Hall warned, however, that Westminster must not let itself get into a position where MPs are "constantly" trying to keep themselves safe.

"It can't just be about MPs constantly thinking that they’re victims and [about] their self protection. It can't just be on them to try and navigate between doing their public role and on the other hand, trying to keep themselves safe," he said.

Mike Freer, the former Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, counted 15 different incidents in 13 years where he, his staff, or his office were targeted. There was an arson attack on his north London constituency in December 2023, and during his time in Parliament he received a series of death threats.

He welcomed Hall's intervention. “It seems sensible to give the police wider powers to use terrorism legislation if appropriate," he told PoliticsHome.

As did crossbench peer Lord Walney, the government's independent adviser on political violence and disruption, who said: “Jonathan Hall is right — the threat of violence can be a key factor in the chilling impact of terrorism even where no violence directly results.

“The way MPs are being threatened not only shows the danger to them as individuals but can have a highly corrosive effect on our democracy. We need to think seriously and systematically about how we can better protect elected representatives.”

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