Former Scotland Yard chief: Westminster security ‘must be stepped up after attack’
THE former Metropolitan Police Commissioner claims the “soft” outer ring of security at the Palace of Westminster must be enhanced after a video showed the complex’s gates were left open and apparently unmanned after Wednesday’s terror attack. The footage shows the aftermath of the assault on New Palace Yard which left PC Keith Palmer mortally wounded.
As armed officers swarm the cobbled forecourt, having shot dead terrorist Khalid Masood, the imposing iron gate – which allows vehicles to enter – can be seen wide open.
No police officers are visible guarding the entry point, known as Carriage Gates, fuelling concern that the attack might have been worse had Masood been followed by accomplices.
Pedestrians are shown walking past and at one stage a courier on a moped appears to enter unchallenged.
Yards away, separate footage showed Prime Minister Theresa May being rushed from the building and into a waiting car.
Former Met Commissioner Ian Blair, now Lord Blair, and ex-House of Commons deputy speaker Nigel Evans both said security would now have to be stepped up. Blair said: “I am absolutely certain that there will be a review now of the outer soft ring that those of us who work at the Palace of Westminster are very used to. Always behind it is the inner core of armed officers, but
PC Keith Palmer has paid with his life for that soft outer rim and I think that his family at least, and everybody else, needs the reassurance that will be reviewed.”
Blair refused to criticise the officers who apparently left the gate unguarded, describing them as “human beings” who will have been “gripped completely” by the attack while knowing the “cavalry” of armed officers was on its way. But he added: “I’m absolutely certain that there will have to be changes.
“People are used to the fact that if they go into Downing Street they are confronted by basically closed gates and armed officers and I’m afraid that’s what will have to happen, but we’ll leave it to the reviews to see what it is. But I don’t think there should be shock horror about the fact the gates were open for a moment after that kind of attack.”
Evans described the outrage as “one of those things that by experience you learn” from.
He revealed that “lots” of MPs locked in the Commons chamber during and after the attack were discussing how to boost security in certain areas, but said far more checks were carried out at Carriage Gates than when he was elected in 1992 and a “bobby” would just “wave you through”.
The Tory MP said: “I’ve got no doubts there will be enhanced features of security. Security has got to be upped.”
Parliamentary authorities and the police are carrying out a review of security in the wake of the atrocity.