Members fearing for their safety 'threat to democracy', MP says

Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy said abuse since the war in Gaza was on a scale never seen before

An MP has welcomed a pledge of extra security for those facing threats to their safety, but said more needed to be done to tackle the problem.

It comes after growing concern in recent months over MPs' safety since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy said the abuse was on a scale "we haven't seen, I don't think, ever in my time in Parliament".

He said it was "a threat to democracy" as members were afraid.

On Wednesday, the government announced a £31m package to help protect the UK's democratic processes from disruption.

It comes after Mr Percy, a Jewish MP, raised concerns over an increase in antisemitism after Israel declared war on Hamas after the group led an attack on communities inside Israel killing around 1,200 people.

'Death threats'

Last week, he told the Commons that, during a recent visit, he had felt "safer in Israel than I do in this country".

"For months I have been standing here talking about the people on our streets who are demanding deaths for Jews, jihad and intifada, as the police stand by and allow that to happen," he said.

In an interview with BBC Look North, he said: "There are MPs who are not prepared to vote as they would like to because they are scared of the threats being made to them and their families.

"Of course, it's not just MPs who get this - it's our staff and family members in many cases.

"It's a really unpleasant time."

Commenting on the security funding, Mr Percy said: "I welcome it, but the reason I had a lot to say on this in the chamber is we are dealing with the consequences of the problem, not the problem.

"The fact is we have a minority who are at the extremes who are engaging in behaviour that is threatening and intimidating and using language which is very over the top.

"That tips over sometimes into direct action as we've seen against some MPs," he said.

Mr Percy defended people's right to protest, but said action needed to be taken against those who threaten or intimidate others

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also warned police chiefs of a "growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule".

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

She said: "I've had direct death threats - it seems like it's become a norm."

In recent weeks, the Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer announced he would be standing down from Parliament after receiving death threats.

Conservative MP, Tobias Ellwood, also spoke about protests outside his home over the situation in Gaza.

Mr Percy defended people's right to make their views known, but said: "What they don't have a right to do is to threaten and intimidate with violence."

He said the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" which was projected onto Parliament during a Gaza ceasefire debate was a "genocidal call".

That is disputed by some pro-Palestinian activists who say most people chanting it are calling for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, not the destruction of Israel itself.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has said it does not support protests outside MPs' homes, but has defended the right to stage peaceful protests outside their offices and council chambers.

The campaign also claimed "discriminatory" policing of "peaceful mass protests".