Tory minister quits amid fears for his life after string of attacks and threats

01 February 2024 , 07:03

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Tory minister Mike Freer will stand down at the next general election

A Tory minister has announced he is quitting Parliament amid serious fears for his safety.

Mike Freer, whose constituency office was set alight on Christmas Eve, said a series of threats and attacks had placed "intolerable stress" on him and his husband Angelo. He believes his support for Israel led to him being targeted.

He said he now finds himself wondering if he will survive the day. Mr Freer has spoken in the past about having to wear a stab vest while out in public, describing the threat of attack as "par for the course". He was one of the MPs believed to have been considered a target by Tory MP Sir David Amess's murderer Ali Harbi Ali. Ali visited Mr Freer's Finchley and Golders Green office intending to kill him, it emerged during his trial.

Mr Freer's constituency office was set alight at Christmas (@Finchleytories)

In a letter to constituents the justice minister, 63, wrote: "Since my election as an MP in 2010 I have sadly had several serious threats to my personal safety. The attacks by Muslims Against Crusades, Ali Harbi Ali and the recent arson attack (where the motives remain unclear) have weighed heavily on me and my husband, Angelo. These serious incidents are alongside the many 'low level' incidents."

He also revealed a recent email saying he was the "kind of person who deserved to be set alight". Mr Freer told the Daily Mail: "You shouldn't really have to think, am I going to survive the day?"

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He described the suspected arson attack on his office as the "final straw", and announced he will not stand at the next general election. Mr Freer said he believes that if Ali had found him in 2021, shortly before he murdered Sir David, he would have been killed.

Mr Freer, who was not in his office when the terrorist was seen outside, said: "Given what he did to David I think it's unlikely he wouldn't have attacked me and I think it's unlikely that I would have survived that kind of frenzied attack."

Last month he said several MPs wear stab proof vests because of the day-to-day threats they face. He told Sky News: "Without being blase sadly it's become part of the job and it shouldn't be. Too many MPs have had to cope with physical threats and sadly we've seen several of my colleagues losing their lives. It's difficult to take it in your stride but it is a fundamental part of our democracy that members of Parliament are accessible to our constituents and I wouldn't want that to change.

"Unfortunately, that goes with risks these days. I personally like some of my other colleagues wear stab vests to do public events and sadly that is par for the course these days and shouldn't be."

Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said the PM is "extremely saddened" that Mr Freer had faced such "vitriolic hatred", adding: "No elected representative deserves to be abused or intimidated and the attacks and abuse that Mike Freer references are clearly deeply distressing. They're not just an attack on him, but an attack on British democracy."

Dave Burke