Commons security reviewed after flour-bomb fiasco

House of Commons authorities, the Metropolitan police and the secret services have joined together to launch a security review following yesterday's flour-bomb attack on the Prime Minister as he took to the dispatch box.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (PMOS) said that there were "serious implications" when something of this nature occurred – however, the House authorities, together with the Met Police and the security services, were already conducting a review into security.

The spokesperson said that the best way to deal with yesterday's security fiasco was to act "calmly, coolly and by using all the expertise we had".

Two men were charged today following the incident. Patrick Ronald Davis, 48, from Worthing, Sussex, and Guy Richard Harrison, 36, from Ashurst, Steyning, Sussex, have both been charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. The pair will appear in court next week.

Yesterday in the House of Lords, an apologetic Labour peer, Baroness Golding, admitted that the two protesters had gained access to the House on tickets she handed out. The Speaker Michael Martin has suspended the rights of peers to offer tickets for Commons sessions.

The Prime Minister was hit once on the back with a missile containing dyed flour yesterday morning as two members of the Fathers 4 Justice lobby group began their spectacular protest.

The Prime Minister looked a little bemused as he left the chamber, but was otherwise in good spirits.

According to the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS), the first question Mr Blair asked on leaving the House was how soon he would be able to return to the Chamber to continue PMQs.

According to the spokesperson, the Prime Minister's jacket was now "in the appropriate hands" – whether this meant dry-cleaning or forensic experts, he would not say.

Asked if the Prime Minister would be prepared to press charges for assault and/or to testify in court if necessary, the PMOS said that it was important to let the authorities deal with this case in the proper way.

He added: "Clearly there was a fine balance to be struck between allowing access, which was what a democratic political process was all about, and ensuring proper security. That was precisely why it was important to safeguard, and not abuse, the access that was allowed.

"There were proper ways and procedures for pressure groups, no matter what their interest, to express their views. These should not be abused."

On the motives behind the protest, the spokesperson acknowledged that Mr Blair had "deep sympathy" with those involved in "what was obviously a very complex and emotionally fraught issue on both sides".

(gmcg)