As the UK remembers the 7/7 bombings twenty years ago, Luke Myer MP met victims and survivors of terrorism today to reaffirm his commitment to standing with them.
Luke has consistently stood with victims of terrorism in calling for stronger support. He has met multiple times with leading campaigner Travis Frain, and in October, he spoke up for victims in Parliament – calling for improved “access to psychological treatment and physiotherapy, as well as legal and financial assistance”.
He also called on government to publish the Home Office internal review concluded by its Victims of Terrorism Unit (VTU) in 2023. In March this year, the results of the review were finally published – “to comprehensively assess the gaps in support and identify ways to meet the evolving needs of victims and survivors”. As a result the government announced new plans for “strengthened support” for victims and survivors of terrorism – including a new dedicated support hub for victims and survivors. Other actions include:
- enhanced communications to victims to bolster awareness of the support package available to them
- improving the support available for children and young people, to ensure they do not fall through the gaps
- a consultation on introducing a new National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism (which ran until 11 June).
Last week, the government launched a commercial competition to establish the dedicated 24/7 support hub, which it confirmed will “provide specialist, trauma-informed care to victims and survivors of terrorism”.
These are significant changes, and the result of sustained cross-party campaigning.
Travis Frain, campaigner for victims and survivors of terrorism, said:
“I want to thank Luke for all his support with this initiative. We’ve been campaigning for a ‘National Day’ to be established for several years now, and it will be incredibly important to ensure that everyone shares their views on this proposal. Since entering Parliament, Luke has been a stalwart supporter of our efforts to improve support for victims of terrorism, and I look forward to continuing to work together.”