Over one hundred venues have expressed support for Martyn’s Law, a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing public safety measures against terrorist attacks, as Members of Parliament discuss it in Parliament. This initiative, part of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, is named in memory of Martyn Hett, who lost his life, along with 21 others, in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, has actively campaigned for this legislation.
The proposed bill, which has garnered backing from a variety of public venues, including McDonald’s and Slug and Lettuce, will be presented for its Second Reading in the House of Commons. If enacted, it would require all venues with a capacity exceeding 200 people to implement basic measures to ensure they have a plan in place in the event of a terrorist attack. Many of the businesses supporting Martyn’s Law are based in Manchester and have been involved in a local rollout of these measures in anticipation of the legislation.
The bill was first introduced to Parliament in September and aims to standardise security preparedness across venues, building on efforts that have already been put into practice in certain areas.
Figen Murray said: “The Second Reading of the Bill today is another huge step towards delivering Martyn’s Law. “After years of campaigning this feels like a really significant moment, and I’m incredibly grateful to all the businesses, big and small, that have come together to offer their support.”
Mike Bullock, CEO at Corps Security added: “Yesterday, Parliament tabled a discussion on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, otherwise known as Martyn’s Law. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of the twenty-two people murdered in the Manchester Arena Attack of 2017. Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, has been a fierce campaigner for the legislation since 2019. These new discussions are a promising sign that the Bill will finally become law, after years of tireless campaigning from Figen and the wider security community. Martyn’s Law will ensure that proactive threat prevention is in place across the buildings we monitor and protect. The transformative law highlights the need for well-informed staff, training and practising procedures to ensure effective measures are in place. We need to enhance security across the UK, and Martyn’s Law will prevent attacks like that at the Manchester Arena in 2017 from ever happening again. We welcome this discussion and hope that soon, it will pass into law.”