Death threats seem a norm, MP says

Preet Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, said she was worried "in a way I've never been worried before"

An MP has said receiving death threats seems to have become "a norm" for her.

Preet Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, said her job worried her "in a way I've never been worried before".

She shared her experience on the BBC Politics Midlands programme during a discussion on MPs' safety.

It came in the wake of the Commons Speaker stating MPs' safety was behind his contentious decision to alter procedure amid a vote on Gaza.

Another guest on Sunday morning's programme, Theo Clarke, Conservative MP for Stafford, said she walked around her constituency with a panic button "at all times", adding the device was linked directly to police.

Ms Gill, speaking generally about her role, stated: "I've had direct death threats - it seems like it's become a norm.

"I think when you're a woman especially in Parliament, the level of misogyny and hatred and that people can actually sit down and write a direct threat to you without feeling there are going to be [any] consequences, has really become part of the work that we do."

Theo Clarke said it was "completely unacceptable" for politicians to be attacked for doing their jobs

• Kuenssberg: Commons chaos grisly reminder of threats MPs face

• Political violence adviser urges new police powers to protect MPs

When asked on the programme whether she was getting more abuse and threats in relation to the Gaza conflict than other matters, Ms Gill replied: "I think so."

She said she had been accused of things "without any evidence" and had also been shouted at in the street.

"It's not the sort of behaviour we should have to tolerate."

In 2022, Theo Clarke received phone calls from angry constituents berating her for taking time off after the birth of her child.

She told the programme: "I do feel vulnerable walking around Stafford on my own with my daughter, going to constituency events."

She explained that in addition to her personal panic button she also had similar in the bedrooms of her constituency home.

She added she feared such a climate would deter people, particularly women, from public office when it was already "difficult to recruit".

She said "the level of hatred online and misogyny that [female MPs] receive is just much higher than it is for male MPs".

A government-commissioned review into tackling political violence is to recommend police should be able to shut down protests outside MPs' homes.

'Completely unacceptable'

Ms Gill said: "I think [the situation] is still not being taken seriously even though we've seen reports of intimidation and vandalism in terms of people's offices.

"[But] I think that the current threat is really serious. People have been putting messages in WhatsApp saying they want to come out and protest outside my home."

She said she had security at her surgery, adding of her role "I'm really worried in a way I've never been worried before".

She was also "constantly referring things into the police".

"We've got to be able to have debate on serious issues in a responsible way," she said.

Ms Clarke added: "It's completely unacceptable in a democracy for politicians to be attacked for doing their job."

Both women said despite the challenges, they did not wish to stand back from frontline politics.

BBC Politics Midlands broadcasts at 10:00 GMT on Sunday on BBC One in the West Midlands. The programme will be available on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards.