Democracy and security at risk after attack

Make no mistake, the brutal murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess will have long-term consequences for our nation.

The fabric of our democracy is based on our politicians being accessible.

Not all countries function this way.

For many around the world, the thought of toddling along to your local church to meet an elected representative is as alien as the horror of one being brutally murdered while simply doing their job.

Yet today we find ourselves shuddering in shock at the killing of an MP… again.

It’s just five years since the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox. Her killer was later revealed to be a far-right terrorist.

Amess’s death is also being linked to terror by police. And while the pair were at the opposite end of the political spectrum, their horrific deaths have united their names in memory and grief.

On closer inspection, the two aren’t so different. Both were committed democrats who served their constituents well – and died doing so.

Over the coming days and weeks we will wrestle with the hows and whys of Amess’s death.

Inevitably, attention will turn to how do we protect our politicians. Security will be beefed up. And rightly so. But at what cost?

We need to make sure we do not pander to what the terrorists want – being scared into changing our way of life. But we must also tread the balancing act between our freedom and the right to be safe at work.

Today, we tell how former Scottish MPs George Foulkes and Brian Donohoe faced their own threats during their long political careers.

But perhaps now more so than ever, our political landscape has become poisonous.

Foreign and domestic issues such as Scottish independence, Brexit and Covid have made the debate more toxic and polarised than ever.

The conundrum is to work out a way to protect our politicians while defending our democracy.