Inquiry demanded over Big Ben protest

by STEPHEN WRIGHT, Daily Mail

Security around the Houses of Parliament has been stepped up dramatically to meet the new threat from al Qaeda.

Outside, massive concrete blocks protect MPs from suicide bombers in cars or lorries.

Inside are guards and state-of-the-art electronic systems.

And on Saturday hundreds of extra police were on duty for a demonstration to mark the anniversary of the Iraq invasion.

Yet two brothers from Sussex, carrying rucksacks full of rope, managed to beat all the precautions and scale the 315ft tower of Big Ben, long seen as a prime target for al Qaeda.

Yesterday, a senior Cabinet minister demanded an urgent inquiry and asked: "What if they had been suicide bombers?".

'Huge embarrassment'

Peter Hain, Leader of the House of Commons, went on: "It is a huge embarrassment, both to the House authorities and the policing arrangements. I am very disturbed about it and I want an urgent report about how it happened."

Scotland Yard tried to play down the security breach, but Greenpeace supporters Harry Westaway, 28, and his 23-year-old brother Simon said it had been easy to beat Parliament's defences and stage their seven-hour protest.

The brothers, from Lewes, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after strong winds ended their protest.

They were later released on police bail but legal sources said it was highly unlikely they would face charges - if only to save the authorities further embarrassment.

Protesters climbed fence

The brothers were among a group of anti-war demonstrators who climbed a 12ft perimeter wall and a 25ft iron fence at the Palace of Westminster to reach Big Ben at around 6.15am. They triggered a security alarm and were confronted by police.

But the brothers broke away and started climbing Big Ben, officially called St Stephen's Tower.

Scotland Yard Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick said last night there would be an "automatic review" of security but insisted there had never been any danger of the men getting inside the building.

He said: "They got inside the first perimeter, but they did not get anywhere near any offices of importance.

"Yes, they could have left something there and run away but at the end of the day they could not have caused any breach of security in terms of threat to life, in terms of blowing up anything of importance just inside that perimeter fence."

But Tory defence spokesman Keith Simpson called the incident a "dangerous embarrassment" for Parliament and the police. Liberal Democrat Mark Oaten said it raised "obvious questions on security".

New protection measures

Only last week, top political and security figures met for urgent talks about protecting Parliament.

Those taking part included Mr Hain, Commons Speaker Michael Martin, Metropolitan Police chief Sir John Stevens and MI5 Director General Eliza Manningham-Buller.

Extra defences already planned include a bullet and blast-proof glass shield in front of the historic Strangers' Gallery overlooking the Commons chamber and a new £5 million-plus security and reception area.

  • Sir John Stevens made an impassioned plea yesterday for greater co-operation across Europe against terrorism. He said the European response to the September 11 attacks on the US had been too slow.

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