Hoyle says MPs can WFH as riot fears ramp up

Around 100 demonstrations are expected to break out across the country this evening, and now the Speaker of the Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has waded into discussions about the safety of parliamentarians. It emerged today that GP surgeries are shutting up early, businesses are boarding up windows and private City firms are advising employees to leave the office. Politicians have also been told they should consider working from home instead of their constituency offices.

In a letter to MPs, Hoyle advised those whose offices are ‘prominent and easily identifiable’ to consider their security protocols. The Commons Speaker wrote:

We note the spontaneity and unpredictable nature of the disorder and would therefore encourage Members and their offices to exercise caution. Publicly available information suggests that a range of locations associated with immigration and asylum assistance are due to be subject to demonstrations on Wednesday 7 August at 8pm. The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) have reached out to Members who have offices in close proximity to these planned demonstrations, to make them aware.