United Kingdom considers ways to boost lawmaker security after stabbing

David Amess was knifed repeatedly in the attack on October 15 in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London, during a meeting in a church

October 17, 2021 02:12 pm | Updated 02:12 pm IST - LONDON

Police officers stand by the scene near Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, where member of Parliament David Amess died after he was stabbed several times on Friday, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, Sunday, October 17, 2021.

Police officers stand by the scene near Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, where member of Parliament David Amess died after he was stabbed several times on Friday, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, Sunday, October 17, 2021.

Britain is considering a number of options to boost the security of lawmakers after a parliamentarian was stabbed to death during a meeting with constituents, Interior Minister Priti Patel said on October 17.

The killing of David Amess, from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, took place five years after the murder of Jo Cox, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party, and has prompted a review of politicians' security.

Amess (69) was knifed repeatedly in the attack on October 15 in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London, during a meeting in a church.

Police arrested a 25-year-old British man at the scene on suspicion of murder and have said it is believed he acted alone.

"The speaker has already put in a range of measures post Friday as we have with policing," Ms. Patel told Sky News .

"Within that there are other options that are being considered such as when you hold your surgeries, could you have officers or some kind of protection...?" she said. Surgeries is the term given to meetings British lawmakers have with their constituents.

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