*Originally published in 2024 and preserved as part of our archive project.Get E-International Relations delivered to your inbox, free of charge. As you sign up, consider becoming a paid subscriber to support our work.

On 12 September 2024, the UK’s new Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons, with the second reading following on 14th October. A committee stage now follows, followed by a third reading, with the same stages repeated in the Lords, before the bill receives royal assent and becomes law. As is common in the counterterrorism space, the bill enjoys cross-party support in the United Kingdom. Then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had committed his government to the new law before calling the election, including it in his final King’s Speech in November 2023. The new Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has been a long term supporter too, writing to Figen Murray – its principal advocate – in the run-up to his successful election, promising its introduction as soon as possible. The measure is therefore almost certain to become law, probably early in 2025.

The measure has been long trailed, with the first draft bill published in May 2023, pre legislative scrutiny taking place before the Home Affairs select committee in the summer of 2023, and a public consultation occurring in early 2024. When it does pass as Law, the Protect Duty will represent the most extensive change to the UK’s counterterrorism framework in the post-9/11 era. This is no small achievement, given the considerable counterterrorism activity that has already taken place in this period, with 7 major counterterrorism bills passed by Parliament since 2000.

The new bill, also known as Martyn’s Law after Martyn Hett – one of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack in which 22 people lost their lives, and son of Figen Murray - will place significant new legal responsibilities on the owners, employees, and security personnel of hundreds of thousands of venues. Shops, restaurants, libraries, community centres and other public spaces will become integral to the UK’s fight against terrorism. Venues such as these will now be required to undertake ‘reasonably practicable actions’ to prepare for and deal with terrorist incidents.

There are two tiers proposed in the bill before Parliament. Venues with a capacity between 200 and 799 will be subject to the standard tier, with lesser requirements focused around action plans and limited training requirements. Venues of 800 capacity and over will fall........

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