Government backing for ‘Martyn’s Law’ checks

Security Minister Brandon Lewis has said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lend his backing to proposals for all large venues to adopt bag searches and metal detectors.

Lobbied for by Figen Murray, whose son Martyn died in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack, the move has already been supported by Manchester City Council, who recently pledged to adopt ‘Martyn’s Law’ early through new licensing rules.

The government has yet to set a timetable for its implementation, but the comments by Lewis represent a shift from the Home Office’s 2019 resistance to Murray’s petition, when it responded that while it provided advice to venues on appropriate and proportionate security measures, there were ‘no plans to mandate specific security measures’.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Lewis said: “The Prime Minister, Home Secretary and I are all 100 per cent behind Figen and are working to improve security measures at public venues and spaces. We are working quickly to come up with a solution that will honour Martyn’s memory and all of those affected by terrorism.

“I am pleased that last week Manchester city council announced new licensing rules, but we are committed to going further and making Martyn’s law a reality for all public venues across the UK.”