Legislation enforcing more anti-terror laws to protect live music venues is reportedly just weeks away from being passed in Parliament.
The legislation comes under the name Martyn’s Law, and will require staff at entertainment venues to have more training and better safeguarding against terrorists. It comes following the devastating mass attack that took place at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. It left 22 people dead and over 1,000 injured.
It has been pushed to become law by Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett was killed in the attack. According to The Mirror, Murray attended Westminster recently to witness the final stage of the bill. Now MPs are expected to usher the law through the House Of Commons imminently.
It is set to be fully completed within a couple of weeks.
Officially named the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, Martyn’s Law will require entertainment venues with a capacity of over 200 to provide mandatory anti-terror training for staff, as well as more extensive bag checks and body searches. Venues with a capacity of over 800 will require CCTV to be in place and more staff to be hired.
“We are in touching distance of a victory, which will protect the country and its young people against future planned terror attacks in the future. It is very rewarding to say that,” Murray told The Mirror. “We expect royal assent within weeks after MPs have passed it, which will mean that Martyn’s legacy will forever be one of hope and love.”
“This victory will be for him and all the millions of young people, like him, who attend venues to enjoy themselves,” she continued. “I know he would be very proud of where we are. And to get it before the [eighth] anniversary of the attack would be very poignant.”
She also praised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for “honouring his promise” when it came to fighting for the law.
Once the law comes into action, venues will have two years to implement the new precautionary measures and get staff up to code with training. According to The Mirror, Manchester alone will have seen over 2,700 venue staff have had the new training by next week, and over 830 venues there will have already compiled with the guidelines of the legislation.
The attack at the Ariana Grande gig took place when fans were leaving the show. At the site, a bomb was detonated by a suicide bomber in a public foyer. The lone attacker died in the explosion from what was said to be a homemade bomb, and the bomber was later named, while ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Murray’s push for Martyn’s Law to be ushered in from the Houses Of Parliament were again seen last spring, when she completed her 200-mile walk to Downing Street from the Manchester venue to raise awareness.
Around that same time, she said that she felt “misled” by former PM Rishi Sunak over plans for stronger protections against terrorism in public places.
“During the meeting, we shook hands, he actually agreed, he promised that he will bring it into Parliament before summer recess but he could not guarantee that it’s going to be done by the next general election,” she said at the time.
“We shook hands and he looked me straight me in the eyes… He could have maybe handled it slightly differently. I feel a bit misled rather than lied to.”
Those comments made by Murray aligned with similar sentiments shared by Paul Hett, father of Martyn Hett back in 2021. “This atrocity should and could have been prevented, and 22 people would not have lost their lives,” he said following a public inquiry into the attacks.
In the report, it was said that there were missed opportunities to minimise the “devastating impact” of the attack.
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