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Questions over prime minister’s security after ‘shove by jogger’ Scotland Yard to review Cameron’s security after ‘shove by jogger’
(35 minutes later)
Questions have been raised about security arrangements for the prime minister after a man ran up to David Cameron and appeared to shove him as he left a press conference in Leeds. and Vikram Dodd
But West Yorkshire police said there was “nothing sinister” about the incident, captured on camera, and that it was “just a man in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Security staff bundled the man to the ground while others hurried Cameron into his car. Scotland Yard has said it will carry out a review after a man ran up to David Cameron and appeared to shove him as he left a press conference in Leeds.
Cameron was outside Leeds civic hall after speaking on the second phase of the £50bn HS2 project. Ch Insp Derek Hughes of West Yorkshire police said: “Around midday today, a 28-year-old local man was briefly arrested after he came close to the prime minster’s group.“No threats were made, and after the man’s details were checked he was de-arrested and allowed on his way.” The man was released shortly after being arrested but the incident raised questions among some about the prime minister’s security arrangements, which are the responsibilty of Scotland Yard’s specialist protection command.
The statement from Scotland Yard followed criticism from one Conservative backbench MP and repeated replays of the incident on television news channels and news websites.
The statement read: “The MPS [Metropolitan police service] specialist protection command is responsible for the personal protection of the prime minister and will now conduct a review of the incident in consultation with West Yorkshire police.”
West Yorkshire police, which covers the Leeds area, said there was “nothing sinister” about the incident, captured on camera, and that it was “just a man in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Security staff bundled the man to the ground while others hurried Cameron into his car.
Cameron was outside Leeds civic hall after speaking on the second phase of the £50bn HS2 project. Ch Insp Derek Hughes, of West Yorkshire police, said: “Around midday today, a 28-year-old local man was briefly arrested after he came close to the prime minster’s group.“No threats were made, and after the man’s details were checked he was de-arrested and allowed on his way.”
It is understood the man claimed he was jogging when he apparently ran too close to the prime minister.It is understood the man claimed he was jogging when he apparently ran too close to the prime minister.
But the incident is bound to raise concern at a time when the level of threat from international terrorism to Britain has been raised from substantial to severe. Mark Pritchard, Tory MP for the Wrekin, demanded a full investigation into how the Metropolitan police security team allowed the man to get so close to the prime minister. He called for Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, to launch an immediate internal inquiry. But the incident is bound to raise concern at a time when the level of threat from international terrorism to Britain has been raised from substantial to severe.
“The Met police have some of the best close protection officers in the world,” said Pritchard. “However, this was a clear breach of security and could have been far more sinister in outcome. With the terror threat level increased, this cannot be allowed to happen again. The Met commissioner should call an immediate and swift internal inquiry to discover why this happened and implement the necessary lessons learned as quickly as possible.” Mark Pritchard, Tory MP for the Wrekin, demanded a full investigation into how the Met security team allowed the man to get so close to the prime minister. He called for Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner, to launch an immediate internal inquiry.
Chris Wilson, a witness, described the man as “just a typical hippy type”. “The Met police have some of the best close protection officers in the world,” said Pritchard. “However, this was a clear breach of security and could have been far more sinister in outcome. With the terror threat level increased, this cannot be allowed to happen again.
“It looked like Cameron sidestepped him,” he said. “It was a lovely little move. He should be on the stage, really. And then he was tackled by the person behind. And then [Cameron] was in the car and the car was gone. They were on him. They were like flies round poo. One minute he was down, then he was up again and moving. It was fast.” “The Met commissioner should call an immediate and swift internal inquiry to discover why this happened and implement the necessary lessons learned as quickly as possible.”
Chris Wilson, a witness, described the man as “just a typical hippy type”. “It looked like Cameron sidestepped him,” he said. “It was a lovely little move. He should be on the stage, really. And then he was tackled by the person behind. And then [Cameron] was in the car and the car was gone. They were on him. They were like flies round poo. One minute he was down, then he was up again and moving. It was fast.”
Wilson said the man ran about 10 yards across the road towards the prime minister. He said he was white, with a beard and dreadlocks. The prime minister looked round, he said, but did not seemed worried.Wilson said the man ran about 10 yards across the road towards the prime minister. He said he was white, with a beard and dreadlocks. The prime minister looked round, he said, but did not seemed worried.
The decision to raise the threat level was announced by Theresa May in August, when the home secretary said it was “related to developments in Syria and Iraq, where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the west”.The decision to raise the threat level was announced by Theresa May in August, when the home secretary said it was “related to developments in Syria and Iraq, where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the west”.
She said some of the plots were likely to involve foreign fighters who had travelled to the Middle East from Britain and Europe to take part in the conflicts there.She said some of the plots were likely to involve foreign fighters who had travelled to the Middle East from Britain and Europe to take part in the conflicts there.
The official threat level assessment last stood at severe more than three years ago when it was reduced to “substantial” on 11 July 2011. Severe is the fourth level in the five-tier system of alert categories that have been used by the government since 2006 to warn of terrorist activity. The only higher level is “critical”, when an attack is expected imminently. The official threat level assessment last stood at severe more than three years ago when it was reduced to substantial on 11 July 2011. Severe is the fourth level in the five-tier system of alert categories that have been used by the government since 2006 to warn of terrorist activity. The only higher level is critical, when an attack is expected imminently.