DAVID STEWART: We need to find a solution to threats facing politicians
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I had a recent return to Westminster for the Summer Reception of Former MPs.
Prior to the formal reception at the State Apartments in the Speaker’s House, we had a members’ meeting with former Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith.
Jacqui left parliament in 2010 and works as a political commentator with regular national TV and radio engagements and her own podcast.
She also chairs the Jo Cox Foundation. Jo was a Labour MP who was murdered outside a surgery she was holding in her constituency in 2016. Her death triggered a wave of grief in Britain and beyond. Barack Obama said: “I did not have the privilege of knowing her, but I know the spirit that defined her life… she believed in an idea that transcends borders and cultures – the power of people to bring about change from the grassroots up.”
Jo’s death was followed in 2021 by the murder of Conservative MP, Sir David Amess, who was stabbed multiple times, also at a constituency surgery.
Jacqui spoke about the wider issue of the security of elected members generally, including MSPs and local councillors. My own experience after serving at Holyrood and Westminster is that members do not want to operate out of a fortress. The Scottish Parliament’s founding philosophy was to be open and transparent – and that does not always sit well with security advice.
My sense from working with MSPs and MPs of all political affiliations is that they want to have face-to-face meetings with constituents in need. Many enquiries to elected members are extremely urgent and can range from domestic violence to eviction and beyond.
However, the other side of the coin is that MPs and MSPs have a duty of care to protect their staff – and parliamentary authorities have a duty to protect elected members.
I served on the Scottish Parliament’s corporate body for many years, which was responsible for security of members. The corporate body organised improvements in security of MSPs’ constituency offices, providing more protection to members and staff without compromising access to constituents in need.
Access to an elected official is a cornerstone of our democracy, but as the Jo Cox Foundation argues, abuse and intimidation towards elected members, whether online or face-to-face, is one of the greatest threats to democracy in the UK.
We need, collectively, to find a solution. If not, it will affect the quality of representation we have in Scottish politics, particularly as female politicians and those from minority ethnic backgrounds receive disproportionate levels of abuse.
Churchill famously said that “no one pretends that democracy is perfect. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried.”
Mike Robb was a great champion for our area
I was very sad to hear of the death of former Labour Inverness and Nairn parliamentary candidate Mike Robb. At a time when many politicians are held in low esteem, Mike commanded respect and affection from across the political divide.
He was a loyal and generous friend, as well as an astute observer of the political scene, who always sought to build bridges of trust and understanding, not stoke the fires of division.
He loved the Highlands and was a great champion for our area. If history had played out differently, he could also have been a great parliamentary representative. My condolences to Gwen and the family.
