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02
Mar
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:
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.
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