Lawrence Ward
Lawrence Ward was the serjeant at arms in the House of Commons from May 2012 to May 2015.
Career
Ward joined the House in 2002, was appointed assistant serjeant in 2008 and acting deputy serjeant in November 2011.
In May 2012 it was announced he would be succeeding Jill Pay as the serjeant.[1] The serjeant carries the mace during the opening of Parliament and is responsible for the security of the House of Commons, including escorting members out the chamber from debates.
Ward quit the position in May 2015 in the House following a row over the role of Paul Martin, an MI5 agent 'who is working as Parliament's security director while retaining his security services pass and regularly briefing the country's most senior spooks. Ward believes Martin's role is a centuries-old breach of the principle that a sovereign parliament should be independent from all arms of the government.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Parliament.UK Serjeant at Arms appointed, 16 April 2012, accessed 26 May 2015.
- ↑ Glen Ward and Martin Beckford Serjeant at Arms quits over MI5's 'honeytrap hunter' in Commons: MPs fear in-house spook is spying on their emails, but agent says he's there to keep out female spies Daily Mail, 24 May 2015, accessed 26 May 2015.
