Suella Braverman has been allowed to keep her 24-hour police protection since leaving office as she receives threats “on a daily basis”.
The former home secretary, who was sacked by Rishi Sunak in November, said receiving abuse was “the bread and butter” of frontline politics after Commons authorities decided she should continue to receive extra protection.
There has been renewed concern about MPs’ safety after Mike Freer, a justice minister, announced on Wednesday he will stand down at the next election after receiving death threats and intimidation because he expressed pro-Israel views.
The 63-year-old, who is gay and represents the constituency of Finchley and Golders Green, which has a large Jewish population, said he was “lucky to be alive” after a decade of intimidation that culminated in a suspected arson attack on his constituency office last year.
Speaking on GB News’s Camilla Tominey Show, Mrs Braverman said: “I think it’s a damning indictment on our society that one of the most upstanding and honourable members of our Government and Parliament has been hounded out of office because of Islamism and extremism, anti-Semitism and homophobia.”
Asked whether she receives similar threats herself, Mrs Braverman replied: “Of course … on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it is the bread and butter of life in the public eye.
Grateful
“Usually, home secretaries lose their personal protection when they leave office. But I have been assessed and I’m very grateful to the parliamentary authorities who have afforded me ongoing protection.”
Mrs Braverman was dismissed by Mr Sunak after accusing the Metropolitan Police of “playing favourites” with protesters and describing pro-Palestinian rallies in central London as “hate marches”.
She has continued to double down on her criticisms of the Met, which she accused of employing a “double standard” by taking a significantly softer approach when dealing with Left-wing activists than with Right-wing protesters.
Recalling a “real tussle with the police” over the demonstrations, she added: “What we’ve seen, and let’s look at the facts, is months of hateful marches taking place as a regular fixture on the streets of Britain.
“I think, actually, there is a case for giving ministers, the Home Secretary, [powers to ban] a march. I was powerless in law. I didn’t have [the] power to ban that march on Armistice Day, it was down to the Met Police. I believe they made the wrong decision.”
MPs targeted
The Government has faced demands from ministers to provide heightened security for all MPs after a surge in cases of pro-Israel politicians being targeted since Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks on Israel and subsequent war in Gaza.
One minister said it was “laughable” that not all parliamentarians had the personal protection afforded to senior Cabinet ministers amid concerns about the safety of Government figures in their constituencies.
While politicians are able to access protection including panic alarms and strengthened windows, they do not have security officers present every day.
Downing Street said last week that Rishi Sunak had been “extremely saddened” that Mr Freer “[faced] such vitriolic hatred that he feels he is no longer able to serve his local community”, labelling the attacks on the minister “an attack on British democracy”.