Mother of Manchester Arena bombing victim to walk to Downing Street to demand new law
The mother of one of the Manchester Arena bombing victims will begin a 200-mile walk from the spot her son was killed to Downing Street to demand stronger protections against terrorism.
Martyn’s law, named after 29-year-old Martyn Hett, who was one of 22 people killed in the attack at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017, would require venues and local authorities in the UK to have training requirements and preventative plans against terror attacks.
Figen Murray, Mr Hett’s mother, who has campaigned for the introduction of the law, will be joined by family and friends, politicians, security industry experts and members of the public over the 16-day walk.
She will arrive at Downing Street on 22 May, the seventh anniversary of her son’s death.
Mr Hett’s mother Figen Murray. Pic: PA
Ms Murray said her “life changed overnight” when her son was killed.
“Martyn’s death could have been avoided if there were basic security measures in place that night and that is why I have been tirelessly campaigning to ensure no parent experiences the pain and loss that I endure daily,” she said.
This morning she will be joined by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and former counter-terrorism police chief Nick Aldworth, as well as Mr Hett’s friends, at the AO Arena in central Manchester.
She will then begin the 186-mile walk to Downing Street, visiting memorials to victims of terror attacks along the way to pay her respects.
“I am walking from the spot where my son died to 10 Downing Street to remind the prime minister of his commitment to introduce legislation that will improve security and protections at public venues,” Ms Murray said.
“The campaign for Martyn’s Law has already been a long journey, I hope this walk is the final leg. All I am asking is for the PM to keep his promise.”
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Ms Murray has written to Rishi Sunak to ask him to meet her when she arrives at Downing Street.
She also called on him to name a date when Martyn’s Law, which was a commitment on the Conservative manifesto in 2019 but has yet to get beyond the draft stage, will come to the House of Commons.
UK drivers are “confused” by the country’s electric car transition, ministers are being warned.
Although most drivers are not hostile towards electric vehicles (EVs), many are confused about what changes are coming and when, according to new research from the AA.
In a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, 7% thought the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars.
Around a third thought manual EVs exist, despite them all being automatic.
More than one in five said they would never buy an EV.
The government’s plan for increasing the number of electric vehicles being driven in the UK focuses heavily on increasing the supply of the vehicles.
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What you can do to reach net zero
In 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK had to be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.
Each year, those percentages will rise, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in 2030.
Manufacturers will face fines of £15,000 per vehicle if electric vehicle sales fall short of 28% of total production this year.
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By 2035, all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission, according to the Department for Transport.
Second-hand diesel and petrol cars will still be allowed to be sold after this date, and their fuel will still be available.
There are more EVs – but will people buy them?
In February, 25% of new cars were powered purely by battery and in January, they made up 21% of all new cars registered in the UK.
But despite the growth of electric sales, manufacturers continue to warn that the market will not support the growth required to hit government EV targets, and called for consumer incentives and the extension of tax breaks.
The AA suggested the government’s plan focuses on “supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs”.
It called on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.
“Our message to government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone,” said Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive.
Which? head of consumer rights Sue Davis said: “When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.
“The government needs to provide the right information on electric vehicles and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re investing over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.
“This includes installing a public charge point every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100% first-year allowances for zero-emission cars for another year.
“Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.
“We’re seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.”
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