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It's normal to wear a stab-proof vest to tour my constituency
Joe Murphy, Political Editor1 Apr 2008
Harriet Harman was embroiled in a row today after wearing a stab-proof vest while touring her own constituency.
Labour's deputy leader and Leader of the House was mocked for her decision to dress up in the Kevlar-reinforced jacket to walk the streets of Peckham with four police officers.
It seemed a classic case of a political photo-opportunity backfiring - with Ms Harman accused of looking afraid to go out without protection after rises in violent crime.
One Peckham resident criticised the politician for wearing the vest. Beatrice Smith, 63, said: "The only time we see Harriet Harman is either on voting day or doing some PR stunt. There is a lot of trouble on the estates but we don't get given stab vests."
This morning Ms Harman dug herself deeper into the mire by revealing that she constantly dresses up for different situations. She said: "I was not parading the streets of London in a bulletproof vest - I was going out with my neighbourhood police team.
"Just as I might wear a hard hat on a building site or an Indian outfit going to meet Indian constituents, it's just about wearing the kit."
Ms Harman published a photograph of her in the vest with four similarly dressed police officers to publicise the Government's new neighbourhood policing.
But she seemed to have forgotten the recent row in which Home Secretary Jacqui Smith admitted being scared to walk the streets alone at night. Aides of Ms Smith compounded her error by saying she had bought a kebab in Peckham, only for it to emerge that she had been accompanied by a Special Branch protection officer to purchase the takeaway.
Both incidents gave the impression that ministers are afraid to go out at a time when Labour is making cutting crime a centrepiece of its local election campaigns.
Ms Harman told BBC radio the allegation was "ridiculous" and " malicious". She went on: "I don't have to wear a stab-proof jacket. I had it on just as a courtesy to the team. It's like when you visit a meat factory, they give you a white hair net but they don't expect you to make a meat pie. There was no security issue whatever. The idea that I put that on because I was fearful of being out and about in my own constituency at nine in the morning is just ridiculous."
However, local police were reported to have been "flabbergasted" that she accepted an invitation to wear the protective-vest. One said: "Senior politicianswho have visited Peckham in the past have never worn one."
The danger to Ms Harman now is that she will appear insincere by admitting that she changes outfits to suit different audiences and occasions.
Reader views (11)
I agree with Steve from Texas, usa. There is no doubt that the crime rate is excessive, and completely out of control of the police and other government agencies who are sworn to protect the public.
Disarming law-abiding citizens and leaving them at the mercy of criminals who can and will find a way to arm themselves is at best an exercise in stupidity, and at worst a blatent attempt to exercise fascist-type control over the public.
Friends, how insane is it for the government to arrest, prosecute, and violate a person's rights by imprisoning him for simply defending himself and his family against a criminal attack, while the law-breakers go free? It can happen to you too, if you use a firearm in that defense.
What are these so-called leaders thinking? They can go out on the streets with armed guards to protect them but the average man's best defense is to just yell "help, police." What?
Remember, the first step toward totalitarianism is to disarm the people. And a good dose of propaganda taken along with it never hurts too.
The honest, law-abiding citizens MUST be allowed to defend themselves. It should be everyone's right. Take action immediately to encourage your lawmakers to follow the lead of the USA in allowing LAWFUL citizens to be licensed to carry concealed handguns, and use firearms for personal protection in approved circumstances. It has majorly reduced the violent crime rate here.
Disarming the people is not the solution!
- Dave, Tennessee, USA, 23/06/2009 10:26
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I live in Harriet Harman's constituency and am appalled at her decision to wear a bullet proof vest. Clearly my fears about walking home in the evenings aren't unfounded if she has to walk around at 9am in a bullet proof vest.
London is getting less and less safe (even according to the Home Secretary!) and I think it is about time that we have a change of leadership so that less innocent young lives are lost each year to crime. Ken seems to think it has nothing to do with him but I think it is most certainly in the control of the London Mayor to keep us safe. I am going to vote for change and vote for Boris for Mayor - Ken has had long enough to make a difference but things only seem to be getting worse.
- Louise, Camberwell, London, 02/04/2008 12:32
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This woman should never have been appointed to this high level post.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 02/04/2008 12:05
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The sky-rocketing crime rate in Britain and Australia is directly tied to the banning of ownership of guns by law abiding citizens wanting to protect their persons and homes
- Steve, Texas, usa, 02/04/2008 03:31
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Hard to believe that, when a 20 year old man gets stabbed to death just down the road from me, our "Home Secretary" tours her "constituency" wearing a stab vest.
I have just one question; "When do we get ours?"
Instead of alienating the Police, when is our "Government" going to give the Police & Legal System in this Country the powers to finally do something to prevent the rising level of violent and weapon related crime.
Hopefully, when Red Ken finally gets booted out, his successor will make tackling knife/gun crime in London a Higher priority than worrying about what shape/colour/capacity a bus is.
- Les Savine, Enfield, Middlesex, 01/04/2008 21:06
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It might be best to see if Diane Abbott MP needs to borrow the vest when she's getting kebabs at night in Hackney.
- Stegasus, Manchester, 01/04/2008 15:44
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Of course she is going to change outfits for different occasions. Who would wear a suit to bed and pyjamas for a business meeting? This whole article sounds ridiculous.
- James, Birmingham, UK, 01/04/2008 15:38
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Well, frankly it really doesn't match at all with that petrol blue jacket she's wearing... When will politicians stop acting like it's one fashion sense for them, and another for the rest of us.
- Gavin Sutcliffe, WC2, London, 01/04/2008 15:37
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"It's normal to wear a stab-proof vest to tour my constituency" says your headline. But that is not what Harriet said and it is not what her words meant. You have twisted their meaning for your own ends. This is dishonest journalism at it's finest.
- Chris, Mirleft, Yorkshire, 01/04/2008 14:52
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They give you a hairnet to make sure conditions are sanitary Harriet. What purpose did the vest serve other than protection? The Police aren't some tribe you have to curry favour with by dressing alike. Probably felt naked without her Jag!
- Mark Curtis, London, 01/04/2008 13:31
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And if, for the purposes of research, she went to a lap dancing club?
- Dave, London, 01/04/2008 12:35
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