Andrew Jones MP says his office receives threats ‘far too often’

Last updated Mar 2, 2024

Andrew Jones

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has said he and his staff receive threats “far too often” following the news of additional funding to improve politicians’ safety.

The Home Office this week committed an extra £31 million on measures including enhanced MPs’ safety provisions to protect “democratic processes from disruption”.

As part of the new measures, all elected MPs and candidates will be allocated a police contact to liaise with on security matters.

The funding will also be used to deploy more police patrols in England and Wales in response to “increased community tensions”.

Mr Jones said he took “reasonable, proportionate measures” to maintain security but welcomed the additional funding. He said:

“My team and I receive threats from time-to-time: far too often really. These are reported to the police who take action.

“I don’t fear for my safety as such because I take reasonable, proportionate measures to maintain security for myself, my team and our office. But I do understand that some colleagues across all parties have received credible threats of a much more substantial nature than I have ever received.

“Democracy is precious and fragile and where police believe individuals who work in our democratic institutions are in danger and need additional protection it should be available to them.”

‘I have called out extreme language’

Mr Jones said “too few people” call out hateful behaviour and said remaining silent only “encourages those with extreme views to act in extreme ways”. He added:

“In response to constituent and media enquiries in the last fortnight I have called out extreme language in my own party and in other parties too.

“Politicians, and those who aspire to be so, should call racism, religious hate speak and extremism wherever we see it no matter how uncomfortable it may be for us politically. Not doing so fuels and encourages those with extreme views to act in extreme ways.

“Sadly, too few people do call out this type of behaviour. Even locally the failure to call out hate speech is having an effect.”

The Home Office also said the UK’s protective security system has undergone “significant reform” following the murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, which led to the security review.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said no government official should accept enduring hate crimes, harassment or threats as “part of the job”, adding:

The new measures follow rising concerns about MPs’ safety in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood’s home was targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters last month. He and his family were warned to avoid their own home as a result.

In addition, justice minister Mike Freer received several death threats and threats of an arson attack on his constituency office. Mr Freer said he would stand down at the next election as the threats had become “too much”.

The Stray Ferret also contacted Julian Smith MP, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, and Keir Mather, the Labour MP for Selby and Ainsty, about the new funding but did not receive a response by the time of publication.