National Security

Debate between Mike Martin and Shabana Mahmood

Monday 12th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

I thank the hon. Member and, if he is amenable, I would be happy to ensure that he can meet the Security Minister. I will also personally pick up those issues with the Defence Secretary. The hon. Member is right to note that many different organisations are involved in the security of bases across the country and in his constituency. I will follow up to ensure that everything is happening as it should in his constituency, and to ensure better sharing of information, where that is appropriate.

[Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD)]

The Government have reported that there are 20 active terror plots, just recently two Iranians have been arrested, and now the Prime Minister is telling us that there are Iranian links to the Fairford incident. I think it is safe to say that there is a systematic Iranian campaign on British soil. The measures that the Home Secretary has announced today and recently are really welcome, but they are largely defensive in nature. Sometimes offence is the best form of defence. Has the Home Secretary considered whether we perhaps need to increase the costs on the Iranians for their actions? Has she considered signalling that fact to the Iranians to deter them from future activity?

[Shabana Mahmood]

Let me simply say to the hon. Member that we work very closely with all our allies. These are threats that are shared and are felt by many of our allies and colleagues in other countries. We will always ensure that we take both collective action to deal with the threats we all face, but also ensure that we are always protecting the British national interest. I will not give a running commentary on wider discussions, but let me say that this Government will always take every appropriate measure to keep our people safe.

Courts and Tribunals: Sitting Days

Debate between Mike Martin and Shabana Mahmood

Wednesday 5th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

I am very happy to fight the shadow Lord Chancellor—woman to man—any time he likes. Conservative Members should own up to the failure of the previous Administration and apologise—if they want a hearing from anybody in politics or, indeed, from the people in the country ever again. This Government have shown that we are determined to clean up the mess we inherited, and victims across the country can take confidence from the fact that we have made record funding available and we are considering the structural reform required to sort out the system.

[Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD)]

When I speak to the police in Tunbridge Wells, they often comment that a large court backlog has a real effect on levels of crime. There are more criminals in circulation and, frankly, the system is seen as a bit of a soft touch if cases are never brought to court. May I simply ask the Justice Secretary what is the backlog in Kent and when will it be cleared? If she does not have the figures to hand, would she write to me with them?

[Shabana Mahmood]

I would be happy to write to the hon. Member with the specific figures for Kent. However, he will know that the criminal justice system as a whole is under tremendous pressure and extreme stress because of the backlog and the prisons capacity crisis, all of which is the legacy of the previous Government that we are now fixing.