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MPs’ staff ‘taking the brunt’ of threats against politicians

Former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, now Lord Jones, was hurt in a sword attack in his constituency surgery in Cheltenham which left his colleague Andrew Pennington dead (PA) (PA Archive)
Former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, now Lord Jones, was hurt in a sword attack in his constituency surgery in Cheltenham which left his colleague Andrew Pennington dead (PA) (PA Archive)

A constant tide of abuse and death threats has left MPs’ staff feeling “petrified”, a former parliamentary assistant has said.

The killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess on Friday has sparked renewed calls for a review of MPs’ security and concern about the level of hostility towards politicians in the country.

But while MPs are at the centre of calls for more security, their staff are often the ones who deal with most of the threats and find themselves feeling vulnerable.

I would get in and all I would do is go on Facebook and report death threats and delete them. I reckon I reported over 1,000 death threats. I couldn’t sleep. I would have these nightmares that I would be in the office with Yvette and someone would come up to her and kill her

Jade Botterill, who worked for Labour MP Yvette Cooper

Jade Botterill, who worked for Labour MP Yvette Cooper between 2013 and 2019, said dealing with abuse directed towards her boss had left her suffering frequent nightmares and forced her to quit politics.

She said: “I would get in and all I would do is go on Facebook and report death threats and delete them. I reckon I reported over 1,000 death threats.

“I couldn’t sleep. I would have these nightmares that I would be in the office with Yvette and someone would come up to her and kill her.”

She added: “I think the staff shield a lot of the stuff from the MPs because it’s already quite hard on them. I felt God-forbid if anything ever happened to Yvette I would have to jump in the way.

Watch: Counter-terror police take over investigation into murder of MP

“I would maybe tell her about two or three death threats a week and really she was getting 80 or 90.”

In one incident, Ms Botterill opened what appeared to be a condolence card addressed to Ms Cooper’s friends and family to find a message threatening to kill the MP.

It’s been 15 years but I’m suddenly tearful remembering lone working in a constituency office with someone trying to smash their way in through a back window, and having had to be escorted to my car by the police

Former MP's assistant

Ms Botterill said there was a noticeable difference in abuse targeted at MPs following the Brexit referendum in 2016, although others who previously worked for MPs recalled even earlier examples.

One tweeted: “It’s been 15 years but I’m suddenly tearful remembering lone working in a constituency office with someone trying to smash their way in through a back window, and having had to be escorted to my car by the police. Must be much worse for current MP staff.”

In 2000, an MP’s assistant was killed during an attack at a constituency surgery. Andrew Pennington, who was an aide to then-Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, stepped in to defend his boss from a man with a sword during a surgery in Cheltenham.

Mr Pennington was stabbed multiple times but managed to prevent the attacker from killing the now Lord Jones. He was subsequently awarded a posthumous George Medal.

Although MPs and their staff have significant police protection while physically in Parliament, their constituency offices are often on high streets or in community centres and much less well protected.

Ms Botterill said: “In London, you feel so safe because you’re in Parliament, you’re surrounded by police. It’s when you get back that you’re vulnerable.

“I had staff five days a week in that constituency office. Sometimes people don’t realise Yvette’s in Parliament and they just march up there and it’s the staff that are taking the brunt of the attacks most of the time.

“It’s really petrifying as a member of staff.”

She added: “My heart is breaking for David’s family and all his staff. I can’t even imagine what it’s been like for them today.”

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