Overview
- Reform UK says all eight of its MPs now receive round‑the‑clock personal protection, a measure the party says was stepped up after the July 2026 killing of Ann Widdecombe.
- Runcorn MP Sarah Pochin described the guards as intrusive, saying two officers accompanied her on holiday and that her adult sons have begged her to quit because they fear for her safety.
- Police work on the Widdecombe case was led by counter‑terrorism units and a suspect, Joshua Kerry, was charged in July; he is due at the Old Bailey for a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 20, 2026, with a provisional trial set for June 8, 2027.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is prepared to carry out a serious review of MPs’ security, a step that could reconsider decisions made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee about who receives protection.
- The change has widened debate about how state security is allocated to high‑profile figures, following earlier complaints from Reform leader Nigel Farage about cuts to his protection and the party’s recent refusal of some government offers of security.