Death threat is sobering reminder of dangers faced, MP Ian Byrne says

The Labour MP said the threat meant he would be changing procedures at his surgeries

A death threat by a "far-right extremist" who was photographed outside a constituency office was a "sobering reminder" of the dangers faced by those in public life, an MP has said.

Ian Byrne, MP for West Derby, Liverpool, said he was informed in June of a "possible threat" to his life.

He said a man had posted comments about Sir David Amess's murder and had been photographed at his office.

The Labour MP said it meant he would be changing procedures at his surgeries.

In a statement, Mr Byrne said he was contacted about "a possible threat to the life of myself, family and office staff".

'Division and hate'

He said the man, who had been "posting vile threats to the Jewish community on extremist websites, had also posted comments about the murder of Sir David Amess, saying he would not be the last MP to die".

"The individual was then photographed outside my office in West Derby," he said.

He said he had been supported by a Jewish community organisation "who flagged this threat to me" and by both Parliament's counter-terrorism unit and Merseyside Police.

He added that his office would hold face-to-face surgeries from September, but the security of his team "must be paramount" and therefore previous procedures would need to change.

"This is a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by all those who work in the public eye for a society free from division and hate," he said.

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