Arena victim's mum walking from Manchester to London to demand new law

The mother of a Manchester Arena attack victim is to walk from the city to Downing Street to demand a law tightening security at public venues.

Figen Murray has campaigned for the legislation, known as Martyn's Law, since her son Martyn Hett was killed in the bombing in 2017.

On 7 May, she plans to start her walk from the place where the 29-year-old died and arrive at Downing Street on 22 May, the seventh anniversary of his death.

The Home Office said it remained committed to taking action.

Mr Hett was among the 22 people killed after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a homemade device at the Arianna Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

Plans for a law aimed at improving counter-terrorism measures at venues and in public spaces were included in the Conservative manifesto in 2019, and the 2022 Queen's Speech.

A consultation on a bill for Martyn's Law closed in March, with the results being considered by the government.

Ministers publish draft plans when they need to hear more views over how the law should be changed – and only later ask MPs to vote on a final package of measures.

The Martyn’s Law proposals have raised wide-ranging and complex questions for the venue industry and it is unclear whether the government has enough parliamentary time to meet its commitment to pass the law before a general election.

Ms Murray said "almost five years on from their first commitment, the draft legislation still hasn’t been tabled".

She said she believed the delay was "putting our country at risk."

The bereaved mother plans to pay her respects at the sites of a number of terror attacks on her walk to Downing Street.

"No parent should have to experience the pain and loss I’ve felt," she said.

"I truly believe we have an opportunity to make public spaces safer and more secure by introducing Martyn’s Law."

She will be joined on the march by campaigners including Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in 2016.

Mr Cox said Martyn's Law was "ready to go, has all-party support and public backing".

"Martyn’s mum shouldn’t be having to walk from Manchester to London to put pressure on the government to do something it has promised multiple times," he added.

Nick Aldworth, a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator who will also join Ms Murray on the march, said the public was still "no safer" than at the time of the Manchester attack.

“The one thing all families who lose loved ones to terrorism want is to make sure we learn the lessons from their tragedy," he said.

A Home Office spokesman thanked Ms Murray for her "tireless support in the development of this vital reform".

The spokesman said that it was important to strike the right balance between public protection and "undue burdens on smaller businesses and premises".

"We are reviewing the findings [of the public consultation] to ensure all feedback is fully considered, and working to finalise the legislation with a view to introducing it as soon as parliamentary time allows", the spokesman added.

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