UK Home Secretary Announces Expanded Police Protection for Non-MPs and Urgent Security Review
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced that police support will be extended to political figures who are not currently Members of Parliament, including peers, former MPs, and party spokespeople. This decision follows the murder of Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe in July 2026. Mahmood also commissioned an independent, 'root and branch' review of security arrangements for high-profile individuals, led by former national security adviser Stephen Lovegrove. The review aims to address physical threats, online risks, and polarization within British society, with findings expected within six months. The move responds to rising violence against politicians, with recorded offences against MPs increasing from 364 in 2019 to 976 in 2025.