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Senior Tory MP installs panic alarms in constituency home after children - aged two and four - receive death threats
17 April 2023, 19:00 | Updated: 17 April 2023, 19:38
A senior Tory MP has installed panic alarms in every room in her constituency home after her children, aged two and four, were subjected to death threats.
Alicia Kearns, who has been the MP for Rutland and Melton since 2019, told LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr that installing panic alarms in her home is a symptom of a reality that faces many MPs.
Ms Kearns told Andrew: "Unfortunately, the reality is now that MPs across all colours face frequent death threats.
"There is an underlying daily basis of hostility. The reality is that my children, who are only two and four, they have had death threats, including from some of my constituents."
Ms Kearns added that some of these threats have been from some of her constituents, as well as from Chinese officials.
Senior MP Alicia Kearns says her 2 and 4 years old children have received death threats
Speaking about the threats MPs face, Ms Kearns says she knows one colleague who has had 12 stalkers, while another has had to move house.
Ms Kearns continued: "Another, his children had to be taken to school by the police because of the amount of threats to him.
"Parliamentary staff are asking MPs if they can wear stab vests and have training on how to protect."
Concerns over the safety of politicians have been growing following the deaths of politicians Jo Cox and David Amess.
Ms Cox, a Labour MP for Batley and Spen, died after being shot and stabbed multiple times in West Yorkshire in 2016.
Thomas Alexander Mair was found guilty of her murder later that year.
Read More: Bercow: 'We've not tackled toxic politics - things haven't improved since Jo Cox's death'
Read More: 'David Amess would've greeted him with a smile': Family condemns MP's terrorist killer
In 2021, Conservative MP David Amess was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church Hall in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, was found guilty of his murder in April 2022 and sentenced to life in jail.
