... To think it’s absolutely fine if MPs don’t hold public surgeries?

[MakingM2]

Now that we know more, this seems to be the question.

I think I’ve written to my elected representatives twice in my entire life. Neither event was particularly helpful. The only time I’ve been to a public surgery is when I took the children to the library and found our MP sat in the middle of the children’s section having what appeared to be a very sensitive, private conversation with a constituent. It was very uncomfortable for everyone.

I can’t imagine anything that would require their actual presence, on demand by an unknown constituent, to be resolved.

I understand if MPs want to be accessible and meet voters, but...If they are meeting people they don’t know well, wouldn’t it be reasonable for them to use the interview cubicles with glass screens that various public buildings tend to have? They use them for staff doing work that might increase the likelihood of them becoming victims of violence so it seems very reasonable to me for them to be used for meetings with elected representatives.

Does anyone feel they must physically see their MP?

I don’t particularly want to communicate with or speak to my MP, though I have had helpful email correspondence with my local councillors about a couple of local issues.

I think there is value in people being able to see and speak to MPs, but I think an appointment in a properly security controlled building/building with a police presence rather than random drop in at the local library would be reasonable.

Yes agree properly controlled space but many people coming to see their MP may not be able to write very well, might not have good internet access or know how to use it so restricting it to phone or email/letter will mean a proportion will struggle to get that help from their MP

But the police can’t attend every single MP’s surgery, that’s one a week at minimum

MPs being available to their constituents is a fundamental part of democracy. It must continue but security needs to be reviewed, a compromise may have to be only using their main office with more security measures rather than ad hoc venues.

Sorry op but just because you have never felt the need to go speak to your mp doesn't mean others don't routinely have face to face meetings. Mps are supposed to be accessible to their constituents. Although I think extra security should be provided I don't think locking them away is the answer.

I think it's really important for an MP to be out among their constituents. Being in the local library or other public building is part of it. That way they can see what the situation is on the ground. They can see what cuts to services actually look like.

I've met out MP a few times and we're lucky to have a really good one. Every election it's a huge struggle for me between wanting to vote for her, but not the party she belongs to.

What happened yesterday, just like what happened to Jo Cox was shocking and terrible. Security needs to be reviewed but must be a presence that would put people off coming to see their MP.

I think most of the people who turn up in person are serial complainers who 100% could send an email or navigate a booking system. I also think most vulnerable people with pressing needs are more likely to be presenting at health centres/council offices/job centres than turning up at MP surgeries.

If people have navigated to an MP surgery they are surely either savvy/literate enough to have found out about it OR connected to another organisation/advocacy service that has signposted them there and could therefore also signpost/assist them through a bookings process.

I could be wrong though, I’d be interested to see the data. I think we absolutely must protect MPs better going forwards but it is important those with least voice aren’t shut out of the process.

So are you saying they shouldn’t meet constituents at all or only behind a glass screen?

Just because you’re lucky enough not to have needed help doesn’t mean everyone else is similarly fortunate.

What a selfish, garbled post.

We need to protect our MPs but not by shutting them away. What has happened is terrible but is still unusual.
Shop workers suffer violence regularly and are paid minimum wage, police, traffic wardens, NHS staff are attacked and abused regularly and killed but we don't shut them away.
MPs need to visit different areas and yes it needs to be in person, just because some find emails easy doesn't mean others can portray their difficulties that way.
We need to increase their security. The cost will have to be covered.

If politicians are making decisions which affects our lives, then they should literally face the public in order to remind them that it's real people they are serving. It's very easy to hide behind a screen.

I am also thoroughly disgusted and appalled at the tragic events from yesterday.

As tragic as events like yesterday’s are, they are still very unusual. Of course there should still be accessible surgeries.

I'm a staffer. 99% of people email, phone or pop into the constituency office. Increasingly few people pop into surgeries these days, and the getting about bit is mostly done via visits, going to local events, etc.
Constituency staffers aren't necessarily particularly well paid especially if they're in admin posts, your job isn't necessarily very secure, and it can be very stressful and upsetting.
Yesterday was shocking and frightening. Security in offices was ramped up after Jo Cox's murder, and I've still had to call the Police multiple times about threatening or aggressive behaviour towards staff - some of it "in person", and it's been a 999 job. Every staffer I know has similar stories.
It's about our safety too. I wish people would remember that when they're talking about politicians "hiding behind screens".

It would be terrible if MPs stopped seeing constituents. Particularly constituents with problems. Westminster is a very old-fashioned and privileged bubble. MPs need to stay in touch with the lives that ordinary people lead, in particular the problems that they face due to the government's policies.

Security for other public servants needs to be looked at too. People are probably not aware but there is no security in probation offices. Officers are regularly threatened with violence and assaults do happen. With the ever increasing likelihood of weapons being carried it's ridiculous that those managing the most dangerous people in society have less security than the job centre or Tesco. Especially when those violent individuals have a lot of reasons they might be very annoyed at the person holding them to various restrictions and telling them they can be sent back to prison.

@KingdomScrolls 👏👏👏. I am guessing you are in the trade - me too!

Yesterday's events were horrific, absolutely awful, and it is devastating that is the second such attack in five years.

But it is still very very unusual, and although in Sir Amess' case it happened to him during his duties as an MP, something very similar happened to Samuel Paty (teacher, Paris), many doctors (China, Kansas v recently), nurses (Sergio Luis, Victoria Woodall), and last month a bank cashier in Chigaco.

If a murderer is determined to murder somebody, sadly they will. Doorsteps, out in public, bombs like the (previous to Jo Cox) recently murdered parliamentarians. I do think MP surgeries are an important part of their job and for visibility in the constituency.

My constituency MP is an excellent one although I never vote for his party, I'm happy he is our representative. He shares a party with Sir Amess and I have been thinking about him a lot this morning, they must all be reeling.

Most of them seem to do as little as possible and would welcome the opportunity to be even less accountable.

I think it's interesting to see an outpouring of loud grief, bouquet laying etc from party leaders and various politicians. It clearly bothers them a great deal more deeply and viscerally than the deaths of Sarah, Nessa and the others. One of their own, now that's serious.

I'm happy not to see ours and would be happy with video calls as needed. That won't work for all constituents though, and MPs need to cater for everyone. More importantly our MPs should be able to feel safe to publicise their own whereabouts without a lunatic attacking them. I'm not sure how we get back to a point where they can feel safe; likely some combination of improved terrorism monitoring, calming down political rhetoric against people with different political views, and security at certain events; but whatever those steps are it needs to happen.

Because writing isn't accessible to everyone for a variety of reasons. They might not have a computer in order to email, they may not be able to read and/or write- and for many its just preferable to speak to someone face to face. I think it also helps to have a presence in the community that you serve. That said, sadly, thought needs to be given how to keep MPs safe when they do this.

@RoseRedRoseBlue I manage a multi agency team now, but was in probation for a number of years and have many friends who still work there. Police are being called daily, it never used to be like that, you'd get the odd one, I think lack of mental health funding is a contributor. Thing is with legacy CRC buildings and some NPS reporting centres rather than main offices, you haven't even got a duty room with the escape door, lots don't even have reception. In my old area we had hostage situations, a number of serious assaults, levels of threats and harassment that aren't acceptable when it's the public, but officers are just expected to get on with it. I've had furniture thrown at me, been screamed at, lost count of the threats to kill, and the advice is to use your skillset, de-escalate with words. That doesn't work if someone is in the grip of psychosis or class A substances and you've just made an unwanted referral to social care or are earning then they will be recalled to prison if they miss another appointment, funny that....

@WhiskyXray

Most of them seem to do as little as possible and would welcome the opportunity to be even less accountable.

I think it's interesting to see an outpouring of loud grief, bouquet laying etc from party leaders and various politicians. It clearly bothers them a great deal more deeply and viscerally than the deaths of Sarah, Nessa and the others. One of their own, now that's serious.

I think that's unfair. He was a colleague to many, and he was stabbed multiple times at work, doing a job that they also do- it's not a competition but I don't think it's unreasonable to feel more affected by something like that. If someone doing the same job as me in a different office that I knew and was a colleague headed into work as normal and was brutally murdered it would probably affect me more.

I do agree that women's safety is a huge issue that needs addressing, but it feels like an unfair comparison.

Coincidentally I was booked to watch Labour MP Jess Phillips at Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday. It went ahead but she did spend time talking about this and I was very impressed she did because she was clearly very upset and shaken by Sir Amess murder.
She said that regardless of risk assessments/advice she would never stop directly interacting with her constituents through surgeries and knocking on doors. She said we have gold standard democracy in this country because people can talk personally to their MPs and we should cherish that. She talked about how amazing it was that people can talk about their problems to their MP, even if that MP is the prime minister.
So I get the impression that for her and lots of her colleagues the surgeries are a core part of their job and they don't want to lose them.
It's changed my view actually, I think the answer is probably better security like you have at concerts etc, so bagchecks and security staff. Rather than no surgeries.

If someone doing the same job as me in a different office that I knew and was a colleague headed into work as normal and was brutally murdered it would probably affect me more.

This, it's understandable human nature and I can't stand the Tories.

@whiskxray, just to say I have always found or MPs to be committed, hard working individuals.
I can see a point where X-ray arches and security will be standard at constituency surgeries though.

I think the answer might be to arrange constituency appointments via Zoom, with the constituency office or library providing a resource for people who are digitally excluded. So they can turn up at their appointment time and someone will set up the online meeting for them.

It would keep the MPs safe, mean they still see constituents and there wouldn't be the huge security cost