City MPs pledge to help protect places of worship in Preston against attack
Two of Preston’s neighbouring MPs have pledged to work together to help protect places of worship in the city against attack.
It comes after the terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand which saw 49 people killed.
Labour MP for Preston Sir Mark Hendrick and Conservative MP for Wyre and Preston North Ben Wallace sit on opposite sides of the bench but committed to join forces on the matter.
Speaking in Parliament Sir Mark asked the Minister of State for Security to do “all within his powers to assure communities in Lancashire of the Islamic, or of any other faith, that everything is being done to monitor and deter any potential attackers from targeting places of worship.”
He added: “Can I say to the minister that this shouldn’t just be about tolerance which means accepting whether somebody likes it or not but about mutual respect.”
Security minister Ben Wallace said: “How we respond to that tolerance is about mutual respect.
"Whether we disagree, and disagree in a manner that accepts people as equals, or whether we disagree and degenerate them for having a different view is about respect.
"We both represent a multicultural society that has worked very well together and I’m determined that we work with Lancashire Constabulary to deliver that but also know that it’s Preston Council that’s going to help deliver some of those solutions as well and indeed him and I as civic leaders.”