Martyn's Law: PM urged not to delay venue security bill

Former senior police officers have written to the Prime Minister about the delay in introducing a security law for venues.

The letter, also signed by relatives of terrorism victims, said a delay in introducing a law to improve security at public venues is “dangerous”.

Plans for the law were announced in the Queen’s Speech in May but the bill has not yet been tabled.

The BBC has asked the government for a response.

The bill has become known as Martyn’s Law after Martyn Hett who was killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. It was mentioned in the Conservative Party’s manifesto in 2019.

Also known as Protect Duty, the law would compel most public venues to have appropriate security procedures in place and to provide training for venue staff.

Mr Hett’s mother, Figen Murray, who was recently made an OBE for her counter-terrorism work, signed the letter.

She has previously said delays bringing in the law “risked lives”.

“I know politics has been in turmoil in recent months, but there is no excuse for delaying or weakening legislation that could save thousands of lives.,” she said recently.

Anil Basu, former head of UK counter-terrorism policing, and British Transport Police chief Lucy D’Orsi are among the signatories. Brendan Cox, widower of murdered Jo Cox MP, also signed.

“Since the horrific attack in Manchester in 2017 there have been eight further attacks in the UK,” the letter says.

The attacks have taken place in smaller places or venues rather that stadiums where security has been improving, it continued.

This threat to smaller venues is a challenge to intelligence and policing services and security is not something that can be left to those services alone, it said.

The Protect Duty “would ask all public venues to take simple steps (such as staff training and basic security planning) to reduce the impact and risk of a terror attack.”

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