Martyn’s Law – Figen Murray’s Journey

For City, University of London

On 22 May 2017, Figen Murray’s entire world was changed, irreparably. Figen’s son, 29-year-old Martyn Hett, a freelance magazine writer known on social media for his pop-culture commentary and his tattoo of Coronation Street’s Deirdre Barlow, lost his life during a terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Martyn was one of 22 victims, who would all become forever associated with the chilling tragedy that took place following an Ariana Grande concert in Greater Manchester over seven years ago. 

Understandably, the first year following the attack was dominated by her sadness, taking a step back from her work as a therapist to grieve the unexpected loss of her son; however, around 18 months after the attack, another of Figen’s three children bought concert tickets as a Father’s Day gift for Figen and her husband, Stuart. “That’s the first time we went back into Manchester,” Figen explained, “my husband got his tickets out, we walked in, staff looked at us, turned away and carried on talking… we walked up, sat down and that was it.” Shaking her head in dismay, Figen said that the lack of checks and security “shocked her to the core,” especially following the events of the previous year. 

Returning to Manchester Arena, and her first-hand experience of the lack of security was a lightbulb moment for Figen, beginning a journey that she could never have envisioned finding herself on. Her discovery that security at venues was “optional” left her reeling, “How can it be that nobody is trying to keep them safe?”, she asked. In the following January, she created an online petition, asking the government to implement binding, non-negotiable legislation on the issue, which climbed to over 23,000 signatures in just a matter of months. Following the petition, Figen recalled receiving an unexpected phone call from Brendan Cox, whose wife, Jo Cox, served as the MP for Batley and Spen before being murdered in a knife-crime attack in 2016. “I’ve got links in government,” he told Figen, “I can get you in front of the security minister.” Delighted, Figen agreed, calling in some support from former Detective Chief Superintendent in Counter Terrorism Policing, Nick Aldworth to help her put together a white paper brief. 

In the years that followed, the progress of Martyn’s Law began to stagnate, getting stuck in limbo and not receiving any substantial government time or attention; in April last year, Figen decided to take matters into her own hands. Following advice from Brendan Cox, she got a map and started planning a route, on foot, from Manchester Arena to Westminster, which she would later embark on, beginning 6 May. Figen walked tirelessly, over seven hours per day, for 16 days, tailed by media and supporters all the way, as she faced down “terribly sore feet and legs.” However, determined not to give up, she arrived at Downing Street on 22 May 2024, the 7^th anniversary of the Manchester attacks, and demanded a meeting with the then-PM, Rishi Sunak. 

She met with Sunak and then-home secretary James Cleverly, as well as then-shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, less than three hours before the election was called, with all three promising to implement the legislation should they be elected. In the months that followed the election, PM Keir Starmer has pledged to implement Martyn’s Law, including it in Labour’s 2024 manifesto, and his speech to Labour Party Conference in September; however, Figen is concerned that the legislation won’t be as rigorous as she thinks it needs to be. During its first reading, the bill was watered down, scrapping the proposed training for staff, and increasing the minimum capacity required for the presence of security. “In the small village where I’m from, around half of the venues would have needed security, now, none of them would, none of them would be safe,” Figen attested, and with further scrutiny currently taking place, she’s “frustrated that it could be watered down even further.” 

Outside of her activism, Figen has always been a keen crocheter, with a particular enjoyment for knitting small colourful bears. “Martyn always cheered me on,” Figen reminisced; so, following his death, Figen began to give these bears to those who helped her. In late 2017, Attitude Magazine, which Martyn regularly freelanced for, invited Figen to collect an award on behalf of Martyn. On the train journey home, Figen left one of the bears in a brown paper bag, alongside a note: 

“My name is Jordan Bear, I was knitted by Martyn Hett’s mum. Martyn died in the Manchester Arena attack, his mum wants to see how far I can travel, don’t keep me for more than a few days.”

Seven years on, Figen laughs that there’s now a waiting list for people that want to take the bear on holiday, “I’m expecting him back from Namibia any day now, then he’s off to Venice.”