Woman in court over stab attack of MP Stephen Timms

A 21-year-old woman is due to appear in court tomorrow charged with the attempted murder of Labour MP Stephen Timms. Roshonara Choudhary, was arrested after the East Ham MP was stabbed twice in the abdomen while holding an afternoon surgery in his east London constituency on Friday. Timms, 54, is still recovering in hospital after being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Choudhary, who was arrested at the Beckton Globe community centre where the surgery was being held, also faces two counts of possessing an offensive weapon. She is due to appear at Stratford magistrates court. Speaking to a local paper today Timms said he planned to return to work soon. The MP, who praised his assistant and a security guard, said: "What happened will not put me off getting out into the community I am elected to serve." The incident prompted a call for a review into MPs' safety. Sir George Young, the leader of the Commons, called for a cross-party discussion on the issue. "It's vital that we do not let this incident affect the public's right to meet their MP. Regularly meeting their constituents face to face is an integral part of an MP's work and it is especially important at a time when we need to rebuild public trust in parliament. "But it's also crucial that MPs feel able to carry out their constituency duties without feeling vulnerable to abuse or assault," he said. "I think it's important that we take this opportunity to review the security arrangements that are available in constituency surgeries."