Protecting Politics by Fay Tennet (Local Studies talk)

Fay Tennet, previously Deputy Director Security at Houses of Parliament shared with our Local Studies audience the challenges of protecting members of Parliament and Houses of Commons and Lords Staff in a main building of 1100 rooms, the two Chambers and various other gathering points. As a former Police Officer, her experience was essential in managing the security teams and equipment to keep everyone safe for both day to day procedures of Parliament, the various visiting Groups and the larger ceremonial aspects like the annual State Openings of Parliament. On one State Opening occasion it seems the late Queen had used the lift and got out on the wrong floor!

For Fay there had been a steady escalation in corporate risks from the 2015 Election, through and post BREXIT when fierce debates and challenges to Parliament procedures occurred within the Commons and outside on the Green whether protests or rallies arriving in Parliament Square and indeed further afield. There were the murders of Jo Cox in her Batley and Spen constituency and later David Amess in Southend. There was an attack on Anna Soubray after she left the Chamber to talk to journalists on the Green. There were the terrorist attacks - the car rammed on Westminster Bridge leading to the death of a Police Officer and six members of the public, the discovery of a backpack of knives, the Manchester Arena concert bombing and the car accelerating into the House of Lords barrier. The threats were real and kept coming, they were no longer an “if this arose”. The threat level was raised and remained critical for much of the time. She added that when it became necessary to bring the police and military together for projects, care needed to be exercised about e.g. the optics of military personnel arriving on the Streets of London and to ensure the different legislation requirements were met coherently.

Still important but more low key, Fay managed a series of crime allegations against MPs. Servants of the crown were not allowed to enter MPs’ Offices but messages still had to be delivered. There were mundane tasks like decorating offices and various parts of the building, managing tourists, ad hoc events, handling water leaks following a thunderstorm. There was also the time the Extinction Rebellion stuck their naked bodies to the glass of the building. More major work included preparing for and executing the ceremonies for the death of the late Queen and the three Elections occurring - 2015, 2017, 2019. It had been a fascinating role, fusing the political with security. She has since moved to the Royal Household to something similar but slightly less visible.

Thank you Fay, we are looking forward to part 2 later this month.