UK to supply stab-proof vests to thousands of prison officers in £15m safety boost

Ten thousand more prison officers are to receive stab-proof body armour in a £15 million funding package that also includes 500 Tasers for trained staff, the Justice Secretary announced during a visit to Belmarsh prison in southeast London. The move aims to improve safety in jails and support the government's pledge to restore tough law and order and ensure prisons are fit for purpose.

The funding comes after a high-profile incident in April at HMP Frankland, where three prison officers were taken to hospital following an alleged attack using hot oil and makeshift weapons. The new equipment will include protective vests for every prison guard working in high-security facilities, and officials say it will be delivered across the prison estate as quickly as practical.

Lammy told reporters that the investment sends a clear message of support to frontline staff who face daily danger in the line of duty. "Our dedicated prison officers put themselves in harm's way every day to protect us," he said. "This new investment sends a clear message: we back our staff and we will give them the tools they need to do their jobs safely."

Security and legal responses have continued to unfold since the incident at Frankland. Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber plotter, has been charged with attempting to murder prison officers in HMP Frankland and is due to appear in court on 25 September. In parallel, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, has been appointed to investigate the alleged attack and to make recommendations to improve safety for frontline officers.

Lammy described the attack on staff as "horrific" for the men and women who choose policing and custody as their vocation. He added that, while he hopes to increase the number of prison officers in the longer term, security and morale are prerequisites for recruitment and retention. "I recognise that, one, I’d like to see the number of prison officers increase, and we’re only going to achieve that if prison officers feel secure, and there is a cohort of violent, pernicious prisoners with malevolent intent," he said. "Under my watch, I hope we’ll see stability in the system, so we won’t need emergency measures."

The package drew quick praise from opposition parties and reform advocates who argued it was a step toward improving safety in a system long criticized for understaffing and overcrowding. Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick welcomed the move, saying frontline officers had been left exposed for too long. "They cannot afford more delays - this equipment needs to reach them immediately," he said.

Taken together, the measures reflect a broader government emphasis on hardening prison defenses, expanding staffing where possible, and deploying more protective equipment to reduce the risk of assaults on staff. Officials emphasized that the Tasers would be issued only to trained personnel and within strict policy guidelines, while the body armour would be used in appropriate high-security settings. The government has said the changes are part of a wider effort to ensure prisons are capable of holding inmates securely while maintaining staff safety.