Labour MP Stephen Timms stabbed
Updated on 14 May 2010
The Labour MP for East Ham Stephen Timms has been stabbed twice in the stomach. A 21-year-old woman has been arrested following the attack.
The 54-year-old was understood to have been attacked at one of his MP's surgeries.
He was taken to Royal London Hospital in Shadwell, East London, with injuries described as non-life threatening.
It was reported that Mr Timms was sitting up in bed talking to people after receiving treatment for his injuries.
Mayor of Newham Robin Wales told Channel 4 News he had spoken to Mr Timms. He said: "I just asked him how he was, and he seemed to be taking it very well. He's going in for an exploratory operation to make sure everything is OK. I can only imagine what it must be like if somebody stabbed you, but he seemed to be dealing with it very well.
Home affairs correspondent Simon Israel said: "The trouble is there is no government department responsible for MPs security outside of the Houses of Parliament.
"Apart from ministers and former ministers who have special protection, MPs are on their own, in effect, in these sorts of situations.
"This once again raises concerns about the risk MPs are taking in having these open constituency surgeries two or three times a month."
Until Labour's defeat at the recent election, Mr Timms had worked as Finanical Secretary to the Treasury and Digital Britain minister.
It is understood Mr Timms was talking to voters in East London about Labour's election campaign, and plans for the party's future.
A 21-year-old woman was arrested after the incident at Kingsford Way in Beckton, East London, this afternoon, police said.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Police were called at 3.20pm today following reports of a man in his 50s stabbed at Kingsford Way, east London. Police and ambulance attended.
"He has been taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
"A 21-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody at an east London police station."
A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman was unable to confirm reports that Mr Timms was stabbed in the stomach.
"We were called at 3.15pm to the scene," she added. "We sent an ambulance crew and our staff treated a man, who was taken to hospital."
According to his website, Timms holds a surgery in Kingsford Way on the second Friday of each month.
Mr Timms bucked the trend at last week's election to gain a 7.7 per cent swing from the Conservatives. He won 70.4 per cent of the votes cast, and his majority of 27,826 is the largest in the new House of Commons.
