Security At Number 10 After The 1991 Bombing
For most of its history, Downing Street was accessible to the public. There was some security at Number 10 but it was minimal: a police officer standing guard. The front door has no keyhole on the outside. A second officer is on duty in the entrance hall to open it for the Prime Minister.
Gates were installed at both ends of the street during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher due to terrorist threats. On 7 February 1991, the Provisional IRA used a van they parked in Whitehall to launch a mortar shell at Number 10. It exploded in the back garden, while Prime Minister John Major was holding a Cabinet meeting. Major moved to Admiralty House while repairs were completed. Because of this attack, heavier security measures were imposed, if not always visible. A guardhouse stands at the gated entrance accommodating several uniformed armed police. The Metropolitan Police Service's DPG (Diplomatic Protection Group) provides protection for ministers in London, acting on intelligence from MI5.
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