The new legislation will require all venues to have a counter-terrorism plan, as well as improved security against threats. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/24K-Production
The UK’s new Labour government has committed to introducing 'Martyn's Law' after a new anti-terrorism bill featured in the King's Speech.
At the state opening of Parliament on Wednesday (17 July), King Charles said that new legislation would be introduced to improve the safety and security of public venues to 'keep the British public safe from terrorism'.
The 'Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill', otherwise known as 'Martyn's Law', will require large venues to put measures in place to tackle terror threats.
Martyn’s Law is named after 29 year-old Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
His mother, Figen Murray OBE, has been campaigning for change since 2019, working with campaigners and meeting government officials to push the new law forward. Murray received an OBE in the 2022 New Year's Honours List for her counter-terrorism work.
Events industry in support of Martyn’s Law
ICC Wales published its Protect Duty Report in early 2022 and has been a major advocate for the legislation ever since, chairing taskforce groups and presenting case studies.
Danielle Bounds, sales director of ICC Wales and a leading figure in the Martyn’s Law taskforce, said: "Figen Murray has worked tirelessly to get the bill through. As recently as the day before former prime minister Rishi Sunak called the UK election, she had completed a 200-mile walk to Downing Street from Manchester as part of a campaign for the law.
"It’s only right that Martyn’s Law is now introduced. We have done extensive work around the bill to prepare. Ensuring the safety of attendees is paramount, and this legislation provides a structured approach to achieving that. We are standing ready to welcome the new legislation."
A spokesperson for the Events Industry Alliance said: “We are glad to see the reintroduction of Protect Duty legislation in the King's Speech today, we remain committed, as an industry, to seeing measures that ensure the safety of all.
“We have been engaging with the new security minister, Dan Jarvis MP, in recent months and look forward to working closely with the new government to ensure that any proposals from the legislation for Martyn’s Law, are realistic, proportionate and workable.”
What is Martyn’s Law?
The new legislation aims to improve protection against terrorism in public places in the following areas:
- Improving security against terror threats
- Online training provided by the government for venue staff
- All venues required to have a counter-terrorism plan
The requirements for venues will be based on capacity and the nature of the events they host. Venues with a capacity of between 100 and 799 will be classed as 'standard tier', while those with a capacity of over 800 will be 'enhanced tier'.
Higher-risk venues will be required to implement more stringent security measures, including regular risk assessments, staff training, and the establishment of clear evacuation procedures.
While the King’s Speech set out the intention to introduce the legislation, a specific date is yet to be decided.
Source:M&IT