03 March 2023 , 21:00
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The Shadow International Development Secretary has had to call in police after receiving a death threat.
Preet Kaur Gill, Britain’s first Sikh MP, said she was left with no choice after receiving an email warning: “Watch your back.”
The Labour MP for Edgbaston, Birmingham, has also been forced to increase security at her surgery meetings where she has a bodyguard.
Ms Gill told GB News: “It was very direct. It's a worry because I'm with my daughters in the constituency all the time. My family live there. It really puts into context the kind of job that you do. It's tough enough as it is, but then when you're faced with that, there's very little support. This latest direct threat has really worried and concerned me.
"As a woman, when you put yourself forward and you want to address injustices and you care about issues that affect your constituents, you’re then faced with people that think it's okay to say this sort of stuff to you.”
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Ms Gill is a member of Keir Starmer's Labour party (PA)Ms Gill said she was shocked that the person who sent the email had done so from a legitimate account with a genuine email address.
“I could not believe that this person used their place of work email to actually make that threat,” she continued.
“Normally most people would probably use an alias, or try different ways of sort of creating a hate campaign. I've had huge amounts of hate campaigns created against me through WhatsApp groups too.”
Explaining the concerns she has about the lack of support in this area she continued: “Once you've raised it with the police, they've got to go away and do an investigation, but there's no real understanding of the impact it has on you, your everyday work, the psychological impact, the kind of always looking behind your shoulder.
“That's why for my surgery I have security. I have security because I know that there are individuals that come to surgery that could possibly pose a threat.
Explaining the steps she now takes to protect herself - which includes a bodyguard at her surgery meetings - she said: “It's something I discuss with my team. I worry not just about my safety but about theirs.
"I don't want to restrict my surgeries, I don't want to go to an appointment-based system, I want to be able to be open and be in my community and make sure that people feel that they can have that access to myself.
"And so, that's the reason I decided that actually it would be better to have someone from a security background being present, a visible presence. And of course, that gives a very clear message in the constituency that you know, Preet does have security.
"And I think that's been really important, it's given me a lot more, I would say, a sense of safety since having that and I am really mindful that that's important for my staff as well."
Speaking during an interview on GB News with Gloria De Piero, Ms Gill also provided a candid snapshot of life in Westminster.
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She said: “I think racism and misogyny almost feels like it's part of the job as a Member of Parliament, I have to say. As a woman, I feel I've seen the comparisons of males doing my role, especially Asian or white males.
"And actually, they don't have the same sort of criticism levied at them or the remarks made at them. And so, whilst people are attacking you, it can become very derogatory. It becomes about your gender, it becomes about your race, and your ethnicity.
“I remember when I was a councillor and my kids were very young, I was told to go home on many occasions and look after my kids and not worry myself about certain things, and that was very misogynistic.
"And again, becoming an MP, when you're out in certain parts of my constituency, it can be very hostile. And you know, you've got to know how to deal with these sorts of issues. And for me it's about the risks associated with some of this. Of course, online abuse is just horrific, and that's where I would say some of that racism has definitely manifested itself.
“It really can become really difficult. And I think being the first Sikh female MP, I have to say being in Parliament sometimes can be quite isolating in terms of that support. Who do you go and talk to? And so, sometimes I think that is really quite tough as a woman facing so much kind of hate and criticism when you are trying to do something good. "
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