New MPs struggle to set up offices due to security threats and high rents

Newly elected MPs are struggling to set up offices in their constituencies due to fears for their safety and spiralling rents, Sky News has learnt.

Several MPs who spoke to Sky News said they believed landlords were becoming increasingly reluctant to have them as tenants due to the perceived risks that came with the job - which one likened to the debanking row that engulfed Nigel Farage last year.

The combination of rising rents and increased security requirements has meant that some MPs have felt unable to have constituency offices on high streets and in buildings with shop windows, where they are visible and easily accessible to the public.

In some cases, they said they had received security advice recommending that they do not have very visible offices due to the need for enhanced protection.

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One MP said they were currently subletting a shopfront for their constituency office while they looked for somewhere more suitable long-term because the safety was not up to standard.

"Because budgets for renting are so tight and landlords are so scared of controversy, MPs are now struggling to be in their communities," they told Sky News.

"There is a real conflict in that you want to appeal to your constituents, but the people who work for you and do casework are very mindful of some of the challenges of being in an open shop window and the threats that exist.

"Ultimately you can go and rent somewhere but it may not be appropriate for the work we are trying to do. The one compromise you can't make is the safety and security of your people."

MPs' safety has been a longstanding cause for concern, with fears heightening since the murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess in 2016 and 2021, respectively.

Last year, the issue was thrust into the spotlight after Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons speaker, admitted that fears over the safety of MPs had been a factor in his decision-making in a contentious vote over the war in Gaza.

Jo Stevens, now the Welsh Secretary, had her constituency office in Cardiff vandalised following the vote, with the words "murderer" sprayed on the walls.

And Mike Freer, the former Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, stood down at the last election following an arson attack on his office in December 2023.

In October, the House of Commons agreed to set up the Speaker's conference with a new committee chaired by Sir Lindsay to discuss the issue of MPs' safety and the effectiveness of the response to the threats they face.

'We are less visible when trust is already low'

A Labour MP said there was now a "nervousness" among landlords that MPs may prove to be risky clients and that there was concern potential damage to their buildings may not be covered by insurance.

They said the issues combined meant the nature of the job was now changing.

"People now want to be in big, closed-off office blocks rather than high street locations that people can pop into.

"It's almost similar to the de-banking scandal," they added, referring to how some banks have refused to open bank accounts for some holders that could be deemed to pose a risk to the bank's reputation.

"Because of these security concerns, we've got a new generation of MPs who are far less visible at a time when there's already not a lot of trust in politics and politicians, and we don't know yet what the consequences will be," the MP added.

For the MPs who do want to rent an office on a high street - particularly in and around London - the rise in rents has made it "near impossible" to find one that offers value for money.

Budgets for renting out constituency offices are set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which also decides MPs' pay.

For the financial year 2024-25, IPSA's budget for entire office costs - extending beyond rent - was £36,500 for London, and £33,020 for non-London MPs.

One Labour MP in a new constituency in the capital said IPSA's office finding service had struggled to find anything affordable in their area, forcing them to share a neighbouring MP's office in the short term.

Paul Kohler, the Liberal Democrat MP for Wimbledon, told Sky News he was currently using a party campaign office while he looked for a more suitable one for constituency work.

"Clearly we want somewhere that is accessible to the public but the high street is not a cheap place to rent," he said, adding: "The offices that are affordable aren't suitable."

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On top of the office costs budget, IPSA has a separate budget for security costs.

For the financial year 2022-23, the most recent year for which data is available, the total amount spent on security assistance for MPs was £3.3m.

Sky News understands that IPSA has been made aware of a couple of incidents where landlords have withdrawn offers of rent after learning the prospective tenant is an MP.

An IPSA spokesperson told Sky News: "We support MPs with finding suitable constituency offices, including offering advice on how to secure properties which fit within their budgets.

"Some of the things we encourage MPs to consider include looking at more affordable spaces away from the high street, opting to hire venues for engagement with constituents, considering serviced offices, renting or subletting from the local party.

"We review budgets every year and take into account economic indicators and market information, as well as available information on commercial rents. We then make recommendations for any adjustments to the budgets, which are considered by our board."

A House of Commons spokesperson said: "The ability for MPs to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy.

"The parliamentary security department, working closely with the police, offer all MPs a range of security measures for those with offices or surgeries in their constituencies - helping to ensure a safe working environment.

"We do not comment on individual MPs' security arrangements or advice because we would not wish to compromise the safety of MPs, parliamentary staff or members of the public, but these are kept under continuous review."

(c) Sky News 2024: New MPs struggle to set up offices due to security threats and high rents