Major flaws in Westminster security are uncovered
● Security exercise uncovered risk of ‘massacre’ before bridge killings
A terrorist attack simulation has revealed security weaknesses at Westminster suggesting terrorists could break in and confront MPS in under five minutes.
The simulated night time attack took place while Parliament was in recess, with police officers posing as terrorists using a boat to gain access from the Thames.
They entered the building through a terrace, and stormed the Commons chamber within five minutes.
It has emerged the simulation took place just weeks before the Westminster Bridge attack, when a terrorist forced his way past unarmed guards at the main gate and fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead.
Fears have been raised over Westminster’s vulnerability to a terrorist attack from the Thames following a police security review carried out in secret.
In the night-time training operation, counter-terrorism officers are reported to have been able to penetrate the Palace of Westminster in minutes.
Had armed terrorists carried out the assault, the review found it could have resulted in a significant death toll, potentially killing scores of MPS.
According to accounts given to a Sunday newspaper, the training exercise was carried out during the parliamentary recess this year.
The test took place just weeks before the Westminster Bridge attack in March, in which a lone terrorist was able to force his way past unarmed guards at the main gate to parliament and fatally stab a police officer before being shot dead.
Security has been stepped up since the attack, with many more armed officers on patrol around the parliamentary estate.
Officers used a boat to gain access to Parliament via the Thames, where MPS and Lords meet and entertain guests on open-air riverside terraces.
Volunteers and staff also took part in the exercise to recreate security conditions during the day.
However, police were reported to have stormed into the Commons chamber within five minutes, potentially leading to a “massacre” if the House had been sitting.
A spokesman for the Houses of Parliament authorities did not confirm or deny that the operation had taken place.
But the newspaper said three separate sources had given accounts of what had happened, with one claiming that MPS were “sitting ducks”.
“If that’s where we are at and that can happen, then the public would be horrified,” one source was quoted as saying.
A review of security at the House of Commons is under way following the March attack, in which Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four, before launching his assault on parliament.
The Sunday Telegraph report said the review had highlighted the need for a barrier in the river to stop boats approaching Parliament, as well as an armed guard to protect entrances.
Concerns have reportedly been raised about a 3 ft perimeter fence which could be vaulted by intruders. More than 15,000 parliamentary security passes will be reissued after “loopholes” were identified in the security screening system.
A spokesman for the Houses of Parliament said: “The security of members, staff and the visiting public is our highest priority. While we cannot comment on the specifics of our security, we work closely with the police, security services and others to ensure that our security measures are effective and meet whatever level of security risk Parliament faces. These measures are always, and will continue to be, under constant review.”
Security for MPS has been stepped up since the murder of Jo Cox in her constituency.