A Tory former Defence Minister doubled-down on his call for a temporary suspension of public meetings between MPs and their constituents this evening, as he warned 'there could be a copycat-style attack' following the killing of Sir David Amess by a suspected terrorist.
Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, urged a 'pause in face-to-face' consultations between parliamentarians and members of the public until a safety review had been completed in the wake of Sir David's death on Friday.
His proposal was shot down by defiant Conservatives including former Cabinet minister David Davis. Labour's Harriet Harman called for an official review of MPs' safety, while ex-Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott also rallied against 'airport-style screening' - but told the BBC she would support meeting constituents behind a screen to prevent possible stab attacks.
And Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted MPs must keep meeting voters, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr Show it would be 'unacceptable' for the killing to 'break the link between an elected representative and their democratic role, responsibility and duty to the people who elected them'.
However, the killing of Sir David at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea as he met with Southend West constituents has prompted the Government to look at ensuring every MP gets police on guard at their weekly surgeries - a move backed by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Speaking to Channel 4 this evening, Mr Ellwood doubled-down on his proposal, warning: 'Ultimately we have to recognise that there could be a copycat-style attack. The police have already made that clear. So yes, absolutely, let's stand up to the terrorists, let's make sure that our lifestyles and the way we go about is not altered, that they do not win. But we need to do that in a cognitive way to make sure that MPs, staff and indeed the general public are kept safe.'
The MP for Bournemouth East, who was hailed as a hero for his attempts to save the life of Pc Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack in 2017, also told the broadcaster that he had discussed the security implications of the withdrawal from Afghanistan for terrorism and extremism with Sir David last week as they visited Doha in Qatar.
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Tobias Ellwood (left), the Tory chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, urged a 'pause in face-to-face' consultations between parliamentarians and members of the public until a safety review had been completed following the killing of Sir David Amess (right) by a suspected terrorist
Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted that MPs must keep meeting voters, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr Show this morning it would be 'unacceptable' for Sir David's killing to 'break the link between an elected representative and their democratic role, responsibility and duty to the people who elected them'
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer join Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle as they pay their respects to Sir David
Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David
Defiant MPs continued to hold constituency surgeries as normal on Saturday, while debate raged over whether Parliamentarians should be given police guards.
Mr Shelbrooke, Tory MP for Elmet and Rothwell, who held a surgery at a local supermarket yesterday, said: 'We cannot let events like this diminish the deep relationship between an MP and their constituents.
'This is a relationship I value deeply: I want my constituents, regardless of whether they voted for me or not, to be able to approach me in the street, in the pub, at the supermarket or at one of my surgeries.'
Mr Davis said suspending public meetings would be 'a terrible reflection of what David stood for'. Mr Largan, Tory MP for High Peak, tweeted: 'I'll keep on doing my weekly surgery, all year round, whatever the weather! We all need to stand up for our democracy!'
And Dr Kieran Mullan, the Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich, tweeted: 'Surgery today, we must not let people force us to do things differently. David would not have wanted that.'
Meanwhile, the longest continuously serving female MP, Ms Harman, said she would be writing to the Prime Minister urging him to back a Speaker's Conference to look into what needs to change to ensure parliamentarians are safe in their constituencies.
Speaking to the BBC, the veteran Labour politician said: 'We cannot have the death of an MP being a price worth paying for our democracy.'
She added: 'I don't think anybody wants to go to a situation where the police are vetting individual constituents who come and see us, but I'm sure there is a safer way to go
