Figen Murray calls on MPs to back Martyn's Law before fifth anniversary of Manchester Arena attack

Figen Murray, who has led the campaign for Martyn's Law, has urged MPs to pass the legislation before this year's fifth anniversary of the Arena bombing.

Figen's son Martyn Hett was killed in the bombing and she has long pushed the authorities to ensure venues have a legal duty to provide security.

The campaigning mum said the law which bares her son's name, and was published today by the Home Secretary Pritti Patel, is now 'a race against time'.

The proposal comes after a consultation into what sort of venue should be bound by the so-called Protect Duty, in the wake of the atrocity.

Figen, who completed a master’s degree in counter terrorism following the death of Martyn and 21 others on 22 May 2017, said she will keep up the pressure until Martyn's Law is on the statute books.

She said: "Time is of the essence because unfortunately since 2014, the attack methodology of terrorists has, very sadly, changed.

"An attack can happen anytime, anywhere, and be carried out by anybody and that is the issue.

"Unfortunately, we can't foresee it. No matter how much intelligence we have, how many police there are around."

Figen started the campaign after visiting a venue around 18-months after Martyn was killed.

She said, like many, she had assumed that events and venues has stepped up their security - but it was sadly not to be.

"About 18 months after Martyn died I went for the first time to a big venue, and there was no obvious security, that may have been covered but I didn't see anything," she said.

"And that really shocked me because I made the assumption that everything would be secure.

"And it upset me to the point that I set up a petition to bring legislation in because I realised that security is actually only a recommendation and not a legal obligation and I felt that had to change."