Manchester Arena victim’s mother starts marching towards Downing Street to demand new law

Figen Murray, Martyn Hett’s mother, has long campaigned for the introduction of Martyn’s Law – which has yet to get past the draft stage.

The mother of Manchester Arena attack victim Martyn Hett will begin a 200-mile walk from the venue to Downing Street on Tuesday to call for stronger protections against terrorism in public places.

Martyn’s Law, named after the 29-year-old, who was one of 22 people killed at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017, would require UK venues and local authorities to have training requirements and plans preventive measures against terror. attacks.

Figen Murray, Mr Hett’s mother, has long campaigned for the introduction of the law, which has not yet passed the draft stage.

From Tuesday, she will be joined by family and friends, politicians, security industry experts and members of the public for 16 days as she walks from where her son was killed to Downing Street. It will arrive on May 22, the seventh anniversary of his death.

Mrs Murray said her “life changed overnight” when her son was killed in the attack.

“Martyn’s death could have been avoided if basic safety measures were in place that night and that is why I have campaigned tirelessly to ensure that no parent experiences the pain and loss that I endure every day,” she said.

On Tuesday morning, Ms Murray will be joined by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former counter-terrorism chief Nick Aldworth, as well as Hett’s friends Russell Hayward and Mikey Keating, at the AO Arena in central Manchester.

She will then begin the 186-mile walk to Downing Street. During the 16 days, she will visit memorials to the victims of the terror attacks to pay their respects, including the Glade of Light in Manchester and the 7/7 Memorial in London.

“I am heading from where my son died to 10 Downing Street to remind the Prime Minister of his commitment to introduce legislation that will improve safety and security in public places,” Ms Murray said.

“The campaign for Martyn’s Law has already been a long journey, I hope this walk is the last leg. All I ask is that the prime minister keeps his promise.”

Ms Murray has written to Rishi Sunak and asked him to meet her when she arrives in Downing Street and to set a date for the Government’s bill to reach the House of Commons.

Since her son’s death, she has gained a master’s degree in counter-terrorism and received an OBE.

Her campaign has been backed by experts and campaigners, including Survivors Against Terror co-founder Brendan Cox, who was married to murdered MP Jo Cox.

“The government’s first duty is to keep us safe,” he said.

“The fact that the government knows there are dangerous terror loopholes and has promised to plug them, but has failed to find parliamentary time for its own bill is simply not good enough.”

Martyn’s Law was a commitment in the 2019 Conservative Manifesto and was followed by public consultation.

In July 2023, a Home Affairs Select Committee criticized a Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill which it said would put small businesses and organizations at risk of closure and would not “make a significant impact” in preventing attacks .

Lawmakers found that the bill, which has different standards depending on the venue’s capacity, would require a local town hall to have certain safety measures in place, while a downtown open-air market would not.

They said it was a “concern” that attacks that took place in some parts of the UK, such as Scotland, would not fall within the scope of the bill.

But Ms Murray claimed the committee had reached a “dangerous and wrong” conclusion after considering the bill.

“Martyn’s Law will make us all safer without changing the way we live,” she said.

“It is not meant to constrain us, but to empower us by making the general public more resilient to such attacks.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “As set out in the King’s Speech, we are committed to introducing Martyn’s Law – legislation that will better protect the public from terrorist attacks and we are grateful to Figen Murray for his tireless support in this issue.

“It is important that our new law stands the test of time and is a fitting tribute to those who campaigned for it. That’s why we consulted on how we can protect the public without placing unnecessary burdens on smaller businesses.

“We are now in the final stages of drafting this legislation and it will be introduced as soon as possible.”