Protective security · October 12, 2026
UK announces protective security review and broader police support
Published October 12, 2026 · Source announcement: October 12, 2026
What changed
The UK Home Office announced an independent review of protective security for people in public life, led by Sir Stephen Lovegrove. It will examine protection for high-risk individuals and sites, including government buildings and diplomatic premises.
The government also announced expanded dedicated police support for political party leaders who are not MPs, peers, former MPs, former members of devolved parliaments and party spokespeople.
What remains undecided
The review will assess how protection is provided, how resources are used and how decisions reflect risk. Its terms of reference and timeframe remain subject to agreement. It will not assess individual cases.
An announced review is not a completed reform or evidence that risks have already declined. The broader police support and the review’s eventual recommendations are separate developments.
Why it matters
Protective security is a preventive part of counterterrorism. This announcement concerns how the UK allocates protection against terrorism, extremism and other threats; it does not imply that ordinary political criticism is terrorism.