A campaign to make counter-terrorism security measures a legal requirement at public venues is claimed to have received a positive response from the security minister.
Figen Murray, mother of Manchester Arena attack victim Martyn Hett, met with Brandon Lewis MP on the 12th of September to discuss what has been termed “Martyn’s Law”.
Ms Murray created an online petition in 2018 which attracted over 23,000 signatures.
Within this petition she outlined the need for legislation to make counter-terrorism security measures mandatory after her son was killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017.
In June 2019 Ms Murray defined the aim of Martyn’s law in a Comment article written in The Sun: “I want to see all venues, whether they are holding concerts, sporting events or theatre productions, to have a counter-terrorism plan in place, by law.”
She also called for public venues to assess the security of their customers whilst acknowledging that security methods will differ from place to place.
After the meeting last Thursday Brandon Lewis thanked Ms Murray on Twitter, describing the proposed law as a “hugely important area”.
Ms Murray also tweeted that “The meeting definitely felt as if we are being heard” and told the Manchester Evening News, “I am very grateful that we were given the opportunity to meet with the Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, who is definitely on board with Martyn’s Law.”
The meeting was also attended by former National Counter Terrorism Co-ordinator Nick Aldworth, Westminster attack survivor Travis Frain as well as Brendan Cox, husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox.
In regards to Martyn’s Law Brendan Cox subsequently tweeted, “it feels like it’s now a question of when not if government seeks to legislate.”
