Alarm in the United Kingdom; MPs Warned: "Build Bulletproof Rooms"

The recommendation was issued several months before the killing of politician Ann Widdecombe.

The former British minister and European Parliament member was killed in a "targeted attack" at her home in Devon, police confirmed.

Widdecombe, who previously served as a minister in a Conservative government and in recent years became a spokesperson for Reform UK, was found with serious injuries. Police arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of murder. According to CCTV footage published by The Sun, the suspect was seen entering a vehicle several hours before the attack with a long object protruding from his pocket. The investigation was later taken over by counterterrorism police after new information emerged. Although authorities initially said there were no indications of a political motive, the case is now being treated as a possible terrorist act.

The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), part of MI5, issued guidance to public figures, including MPs, councillors and foreign dissidents, advising them to secure a space where they could shelter in the event of an attack by "hostile actors."

A safe room should be fully protected, resistant to forced entry and inaccessible to intruders. Recommendations include installing bullet-resistant glass, steel panels, security cameras and even a dedicated emergency phone line.

MI5 also advises installing fogging devices that can quickly fill a room with dense smoke to hinder potential attackers, as well as timers on lights to create the impression that someone is home even when the property is empty. Officials also recommend improving the security of surrounding areas by trimming hedges and bushes to reduce possible hiding places for attackers, the Mirror reported.

Future Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a review of existing security measures, warning about the growing toxicity of political debate and the influence of social media. The security of MPs in the United Kingdom has already cost tens of millions of pounds annually for years, and measures were further strengthened after the murder of MP David Amess in 2021.

The new MI5 guidance highlights the seriousness of the threats facing British politicians in the modern era, the Mirror reported.