Who is Bob Blackman? UK MP who raised alarm over Jaishankar's London security breach

Britain’s Opposition Conservative Party lawmaker Bob Blackman. (Image/X)

Britain’s Opposition Conservative Party lawmaker Bob Blackman on Thursday raised the issue of the “attack” on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in London by “Khalistani thugs” in the House of Commons.

During a Business of the House session, the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee described the security breach on Wednesday evening as an affront to democracy and called on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to make a statement in Parliament on the issue of safety of Indian visitors to the UK, PTI reported.

This came after the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a statement strongly condemning the incident outside Chatham House in central London.

Also Read: India summons UK Chargé D’ Affaires after EAM Jaishankar’s security breach in London

The incident occurred outside Chatham House in central London on March 6 (Wednesday) evening when a protester attempted to breach security as Jaishankar exited the venue following a public event.

Blackman took a strong stance during a Business of the House session in this regard.

“Yesterday, the External Affairs Minister from India, Shri Jaishankar, was attacked when he was leaving a public venue where he had been addressing an audience of Indian people in this country,” said Blackman, PTI reported.

“He was attacked by Khalistani thugs. That is against the Geneva Convention, and it appears that the police and the security forces failed to ensure that he was made safe. That is an affront to democracy, and an affront to our friends and allies in India,” he said.

Also Read: 'Attempts to intimidate, threaten unacceptable': UK condemns Jaishankar's security breach in London

“We need to make sure that does not happen again. Will the Leader of the House ensure that the Home Secretary or an appropriate minister makes a statement to the House about what protection we will have to ensure that visitors to this country are safe?” he questioned.

Lucy Powell, the Labour government’s Leader of the House of Commons, expressed her shock at the incident and assured Blackman of a “full response” from the Home Secretary.

“I am very sorry to hear about what sounded like a serious attack on a visitor to this country from the Indian Parliament. That is unacceptable and not the way in which we want our visitors to be treated,” said Powell.

Who is Bob Blackman?

Bob Blackman has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Harrow East since the 2010 General Election.

During this time Bob has held several roles in the Conservative party and in Parliament, including Secretary of the 1922 Committee, being a Member of the Conservative Party Board, Member of 8 Select Committees, a Member of over 72 All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) and changed the law with his Homelessness Reduction Act 2017

Bob was awarded a C.B.E in The King's Birthday Honours List 2023.

Prior to being elected to Parliament, Bob was employed by British Telecoms in various sales and management positions before becoming a sales tutor at the BT Training College.

Bob is married to Nicola Blackman - who is now a Harrow Councillor in Edgware, and lives in Wembley, where he has resided for most of his life.