Martyn’s Law: What legislation is, who it is named after and how it came about after Manchester Arena attack

Martyn’s Law has taken a step forward this week with news that a consultation into plans has begun. The legislation will bring about further, stronger protection against acts of terrorism in public places. 

A need to improve the safety of venues across the country, including those on the size scale of Manchester's AO Arena, has been called upon in the months and years following the terrorist attack. The public consultation is one of the final steps for the legislation before it 

Who is Martyn's Law named after?

The law is named after Martyn Hett who was one of 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017. The law has been campaigned for by Marty’s mother Figen Murray. In the final report for Martyn’s Law, she said said: “Martyn’s Law isn’t going to stop terrorism. Nothing can do that. But I do hope that if the government legislates for Martyn’s Law then it will mean simple common sense security will make it much harder to inflict mass casualties and fewer people will have to suffer what I and the parents of the 21 other bereaved families of Manchester have had to endure.”

What is proposed under Martyn’s Law? 

The legislation will require premises to fulfil certain necessary steps, in proportion to their size, to keep the public safe.  Under the new proposals, public premises will be divided into two categories depending on capacity. ‘Standard tier’ is venues of a capacity between 100 and 799, whilst ‘Enhanced tier’ will be applicable to venues of 800 and above. 

How can I take part in the Martyn’s Law consultation? 

The consultation is open for six weeks and is available to the public. It can be accessed through the UK Government website, you have until March 18 to take part. 

What happens after the consultation? 

Following the closure of the consultation period, the UK Government has announced what the next step will be. The bill will be introduced as soon as “parliamentary time allows”. 

Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat, said: “Simple steps save lives. Martyn’s Law will help protect the British public from terrorism, and make sure public premises are better prepared in the event of a terror attack. I want to make sure that our proposals are balanced and proportionate. That’s why our updated approach is easy to implement, and better tailored to individual businesses. I’d encourage smaller premises to share their feedback on these crucial changes. Your feedback will help ensure that Martyn’s Law stands the test of time.”