Security vetting stepped up after MP is given bodyguard with far-right links
The security company that provides bodyguards for MPs has tightened its vetting processes after it sent a bodyguard with far-right links to protect a politician who was under threat from extremists.Mitie, which has a £31m contract for the work, is updating its CPO (Close Protection Operative) vetting processes to include regular social media checks.There will also be random checks on the social media activity of those already taken on.Concerns about the threat to MPs from extremists – including Islamists and the far right – have risen, with elected representatives facing a level of threat not seen since the campaign mounted by Irish republican terrorists in the 1980s and 70s.Mitie’s contract followed the assassination of the Conservative MP David Amess by an Islamist terrorist in 2021.
This came five years after the killing of the Labour MP Jo Cox by an extreme rightwing terrorist,Harassment and crimes against MPs have reached record levels, with cases doubling in two years to nearly 1,000 annually as of March, according to the latest figures,Cases include that of the Green MP Hannah Spencer, who needed a police escort when she was targeted by men who disrupted a protest against the far right,Contacted by the Guardian after MPs privately raised their concerns, a Mitie spokesperson, said: “Our priority is the safety of the people under our protection, and we hold our close protection officers to the highest standards,If those standards are not upheld, we take appropriate action as soon as practicable.
”All of the company’s close protection officers have Security Industry Authority licences, the mandatory legal requirement for individuals working as security guards, door supervisors and CCTV operators.Social media checks were part of the vetting process but Mitie is understood to have tightened up this kind of vetting earlier this month.Last month, a minister told parliament that threats against female MPs were having a “chilling effect” on women thinking of going into politics.This week, a 42-year-old man from Blackpool was handed a 12-month restraining order and fined £120 after disrupting a jobs fair organised by Chris Webb, the Blackpool South MP.Webb said afterward that the case was not an isolated incident and he had received “a barrage of constant threats, including death threats” from the far right since winning a byelection for Labour in 2024.
“This escalation is not simply about the safety of MPs – it represents a serious and growing threat to the health of our democracy,” he said, adding that colleagues had experienced a rise in threats.“Attempts to intimidate or silence those in public service are an attack on the rights and freedoms that underpin our political system.We must do more to ensure the safety and security of MPs and their families, or we risk further tragedies.”Webb and MPs from a range of parties shared their experiences and concerns for their safety and that of colleagues in a debate in parliament last month.They were updated on the work of the Defending Democracy taskforce, which works across government to protect democratic institutions.
Dan Jarvis, the security minister who chairs the taskforce, said: “The volume, breadth and tempo of threats against elected representatives is unprecedented.”Jarvis said he and MI5’s director general had discussed the issue with chief executives from political parties and referred to a “grim reality of “assaults, vandalism, stalking, blockading and a blizzard of online abuse” that has also affected families.He added: “Women and ethnic minority representatives report the highest volumes of abuse, including overtly sexualised and racially charged threats, which have a chilling effect on who feels able to stand for public office.”MPs raise concerns about their security with the office of the speaker, who liaises with the parliamentary security department set up in 2016 to provide personal advice to politicians and their staff.A review of security measures for MPs was commissioned after the murder of Amess in 2021 and additional measures were developed, including security for constituency surgeries and events and security training.
A spokesperson for the parliamentary authorities said: “The ability for members and their staff to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy,Abuse and intimidation is completely unacceptable,”
Disco hit: Penne alla vodka, popular in New York 80s clubs, is now a menu staple
Despite most traditional Italians considering it sacrilegious, penne alla vodka is quickly becoming one of the most in-demand Italian dishes.Previously popular in suburban Italo-American restaurants during the 80s, the dish is now enjoying a widespread resurgence that is being driven by several factors including nostalgia and social media.Featuring a tomato and cream base with a splash of vodka, the silky smooth sauce sits somewhere between coral and carrot on the colour wheel. The Guardian’s Rome-based food writer Rachel Roddy describes it as “luxurious and a bit racy”.Dara Klein, a chef and founder of Tiella Trattoria in London, says the dish “hits lots of comforting notes”, comparing it to a slightly more grownup take on the Italian childhood favourite pasta al pomodoro which is “eaten from day dot”
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for orange, grapefruit and bay jelly | The sweet spot
You’re never too old for jelly, and I think we should all be eating more of it. Unmoulding a jelly and immediately giving it a good wobble is by far the best bit, and makes me giggle every time. Infusing the mixture with fresh bay leaves brings a grownup feel and gentle, earthy notes. While jelly and ice-cream is a classic combination, I love this just with some lightly whipped, unsweetened cream.Prep 5 min Cook 20 min Infuse 30 min+ Chill 4 hr+ Serves 6Neutral oil for greasing220ml freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice (from about 2 grapefruit)700ml fresh orange juice (from about 8-10 oranges)4 fresh bay leaves120g caster sugar11 gelatine leaves (I use Dr Oetker platinum grade leaf gelatine) 200ml double creamLightly grease the insides of a 1 litre jelly mould with a little neutral oil – you can skip this step if you’re serving the jelly straight from a dish or bowl
‘As intense as perfume’: which eaux de vie are worth trying?
Nearly every European country has its own fruit brandy. Some are a bit agricultural so here’s a taste of the bestThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.“I’ve had people burst into tears tasting these – it takes them straight back to a moment in their past
Folded, whipped or baked into something golden, ricotta is brilliant and adaptable
My record for making ricotta and lemon ring cake is three minutes and 42 seconds. That doesn’t include heating the oven or baking, or finding a recipe, which is in my head. It does include getting out the utensils (bowl, spatula, grater, scale, ring tin) and the ingredients (ricotta, olive oil, flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, lemons), then speed-mixing everything in one bowl, scraping the batter into the tin and getting the tin in the oven via a discus throw. The timer is stopped as the oven door is closed. This is not relaxing cooking, it is entertaining cooking
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for almond and lemon spiced treacle tart | A kitchen in Rome
It wasn’t that dessert trolleys were banned in Italy during Covid, but guidelines from the Instituto Superiore di Sanità (national institute of health) were so (necessarily) rigorous around these “potential vehicles of the virus” that most places banished them to storerooms. Happily, many restaurants have since retrieved them from their long stay, so they glide or rattle between tables once more, or sit parked in an admirable position. This isn’t my first time mentioning the dessert trolley at La Torricella here in Testaccio, having written about its fabulous puff pastry and cream millefoglie in the past. But another dessert that might catch your eye as you enter the restaurant and look right at the cloth-covered trolley parked under the bar is what owner Augusto refers to as torta medievale, because of its spiced almond and dried fruit filling. It’s an unassuming but extremely good thing
I’m welcoming in spring with big Mediterranean flavours
A combination of the warmer weather, dusting off my sunglasses and the impending release of my new book, MEDesque (out on Thursday!), has got me fully focused on sunshine food and Mediterranean flavours. OK, so I’m not quite in rosé-in-the-garden territory just yet, but it’s close. And I am counting down the days. At home, I am leaning heavily on recipes from the queen of all things Med, Claudia Roden, to get my fix. Big hitters such as her bean stew with chorizo and bacon and chicken traybake with olives and boiled lemon deliver on all fronts, and immediately transport me to my favourite region
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