Exasperated MPs have called for their security to be taken out of the hands of their expenses watchdog Ipsa after struggling to install additional protection at their homes and constituency offices following the death of Jo Cox.
Coffee House is aware of a number of battles between MPs of all parties and Ipsa over approval for the installation of additional locks and intruder alarms. Some MPs are particularly frustrated to have been told that it will take two weeks for the regulator to approve their spending applications, when they are worried about an imminent threat now. None wanted to speak on the record.
One MP said: ‘My constituency office is currently completely unprotected. And Ipsa are saying it is going to take two weeks to approve spending to change this, even though we are currently at increased risk of copy cat attacks from the far Right, regardless of what the motives behind Jo’s killing were.
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