Ex-MP had claim for security device turned down by the Commons authorities

Martin Shipton

Former Secretary of State for Wales David Davies has told how when he was an MP a claim he made for a security device at his home was turned down – even though he had been advised to buy it.

Mr Davies was the Conservative MP for Monmouth from 2005 until losing his seat to Labour’s Catherine Fookes in 2024. He was Secretary of State for Wales in Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet from 2022 until 2024. He now works as Chief of Staff for the Welsh Conservative group at the Senedd.

He has published details of his security experience on his LinkedIn page.

Mr Davies writes: “After the murder of Sir David Amess in October 2021, MPs were assured that everything necessary would be done to improve their safety, starting with a police assessment of our homes.

“The police duly arrived and recommended security measures that would have cost thousands of pounds. The House of Commons authorities, who had sent the police, were telling us to do whatever was necessary to keep ourselves safe.

“But I am one of life’s sceptics. I suspected the concern about MPs’ safety would have died down long before any claims for security measures were processed. And when those claims were eventually published I thought, the very same newspapers demanding today that “something must be done” to protect MPs would in a few months be attacking MPs for claiming the money.

“So I ignored the expensive recommendations and simply bought a well known brand of video doorbell, as recommended by the police, for around £100.

“A few weeks later, with the media focused on something else, it came as no surprise when my claim was rejected because the doorbell was not on the approved list of items MPs could claim for.

“It wasn’t the £100 that mattered. It was the gap between the promises and the reality.

In the wake of the reported murder of Ann Widdecombe, there will rightly be fresh promises about protecting those in public life. I hope this time they are followed by action.”

In February 2024 James Cleverly, the then Tory Home Secretary, announced that MPs facing threats to their safety would get extra security, as part of a £31m package to help protect the UK’s democratic processes from disruption.

Proposed measures included the provision of bodyguards for MPs most at risk.

The funding could also be used for additional police patrols in response to increased community tensions.

‘Part of the job’

Mr Cleverly said at the time that no MP should have to accept threats or harassment as “part of the job”.

The announcement came following growing concern over MPs’ safety since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle cited threats to politicians in his controversial handling of a debate on calls for a ceasefire in the conflict.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also raised concerns about MPs being “verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted”, with “legitimate protests hijacked by extremists”.

The Home Office said the funding package would be used to increase private sector security provisions for those facing greater risk and to expand cyber security advice to locally elected representatives.

It said the money would also ensure that all elected representatives and candidates had a dedicated named police contact to liaise with on security matters.

Review

Now, incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for a “serious review” of MPs’ security after the murder of Miss Widdecombe.

He said: “It’s obviously appalling what happened to Ann. I knew Ann over many years in the House, and you know, we would get along – and everybody would get along.

“But it feels as though something has changed. It’s easy to blame social media, but it feels like it’s having some impact in just building that kind of toxicity that’s around the political debate.”

Mr Burnham said the issue could not be solved by “easy, glib answers,” adding: “I do think we need now a serious review of MPs’ security. I certainly am prepared to do that.”