Pugh security call after terror attack
SOUTHPORT MP John Pugh is calling for better long and short term strategies to prevent a repeat of the Westminster terror attacks.
Dr Pugh was one of the many MPs who faced lockdown in the Houses of Parliament last week, when Khalid Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing a policeman.
Speaking to Visiter.co.uk, Dr Pugh described what happened from the MPs’ point of view, as well as calling for improvements to Westminster security.
He said: “I was in the chamber voting and going back to the Public Account Committee.
“I noticed the door was blocked, and at first thought this was strange.
“When we heard there was an incident we assumed it was a false alarm.
“Our initial thought was that you hope everything is OK because the chamber is exactly where a terrorist would go to attack.”
With no-one allowed in or out of the building while police dealt with the attack, members were left to rely on friends and online news for information.
Dr Pugh added: “Gradually people started looking at their phones and getting the same confused information everyone was.
“It began to sink in what a grave and serious situation it was for pedestrians involved across the bridge and the brave policemen who were there.
“You’re broadly aware of how many people are there and that it could have been anyone who was on the bridge when it happened.
“I think after the first hour had passed and people realised the situation was under control, people felt secure.
“At that stage we didn’t know any more than the world did, but most people remained calm and stoic throughout and just tried to remain patient.
“Some of my colleagues were confronted with armed police and sent into other rooms with their arms up, because the security guards are trained not to assume who could and couldn’t be a terrorist, so there were others who had more a dramatic time than we did.”
After the attack was over, MPs returned to Parliament the following day.
This, John says, was important to show that democracy will not be stopped.
“London, having survived the Luftwaffe and things like that, cannot be easily cowed,” he said.
“We thought it was necessary to show that democracy won’t be stopped by something like that.”
Reflecting on what happened, Dr Pugh, who has been Southport’s MP since 2001, believes that more can be done both immediately and in the long term to prevent repeat incidents.
He added: “I’ve got a lot of thoughts about what could be done to make things more secure in the area around Parliament. It’s very ambitious but what we really need to do is find a way to stop people who may think like this much earlier.
“There are always going to be disturbed individuals out there, but the underlying issue is the ideological mindset that drips into them and prompts them into these lethal and radical actions.”
The Government currently runs a ‘Prevent’ strategy to counter terrorism and extremism, working with schools, char- ities and the criminal justice system. However, the Lib Dem MP is calling for a review into this work.
He said: “I think we’ve got to look at how successful that strategy is, as well as looking at the short term security issues.
“We’ve got to make sure that people who become detached from our way of thinking appreciate our values of life.”
Despite being in such close proximity of the attack, Dr Pugh says he will not let it affect him.
He added: “Ever since the Tube bombings you are always aware in London, that because it’s such a big and open city, it will be a target for such things but you have to just make it through the day assuming it will be OK.”