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MPs say death threats a daily reality in ‘increasing climate of abuse’

British MPs have spoken out about the daily reality of death threats and abuse, with Reform UK calling for full security for lawmakers after the murder of Sir David Amess. Data reported by The Guardian shows a rise in reported crimes against MPs, with female and minority MPs disproportionately targeted.

By Tertius News AI Desk 2 outlets · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Jul 14–16, 2026 Published Aug 15

Lead

British lawmakers are facing an increasingly hostile climate, with death threats and abuse becoming a daily reality for many MPs, according to statements reported by ABC Australia and The Guardian. The issue has come into sharp focus after the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021, and has prompted calls for enhanced security for all parliamentarians.

Coverage comparison

Two major news outlets have covered the story from different angles. ABC Australia focused on Reform UK's response to the murder of Sir David Amess, highlighting the party's demand for full security measures for lawmakers. The Guardian, meanwhile, delved into the personal experiences of MPs, painting a somber picture of the constant threat and abuse they endure. Both outlets referenced the murders of David Amess and Jo Cox as previous attacks on politicians, underscoring the severity of the issue.

Key claims

Reform UK's call for security

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has called for all lawmakers to be given "full security" if they want it, according to ABC Australia. The party's home affairs policy chief told a news conference that lawmakers needed better security provision, and promised that if Reform wins the next general election, all MPs would receive round-the-clock protection. He also said significant new resources would be allocated to protect former politicians still active in public life.

Death threats against Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage has revealed he is receiving more than 300 threats a month, with Reform UK recording 1,577 threats against their leader since February, according to The Guardian. ABC Australia reported that Farage has received almost 600 death threats since February. The discrepancy in numbers may stem from different reporting periods or methods of counting, but both outlets agree that he faces a significant volume of threats.

Personal stories of MPs

Jess Phillips, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, told The Guardian that she has received so many death threats she has to remind herself not to be blase. She described receiving more than 600 rape threats in one night, and recounted an incident in 2019 when a man forced his way into her office. The same year, a white supremacist sent her a picture of her friend Jo Cox, the murdered Labour MP, with the message: "I will have you dealt with."

Other MPs shared similar experiences. Trade minister Chris Bryant said he had received countless death threats, while former victims' minister Alex Davies-Jones said threats were a weekly occurrence for most MPs she knew. "It changes how you live your life. You're constantly on alert and always looking out for danger," she said. One anonymous male MP said he now avoids pubs after being aggressively cornered over the Gaza conflict, with someone accusing him of taking part in a genocide.

Data on reported crimes

According to The Guardian, MPs reported 4,064 crimes to the Metropolitan police's parliamentary liaison team between 2019 and 2025. The number of alleged offences against MPs increased from 364 in 2019 to 976 in 2025, and there were 50 death threats reported against MPs in 2025, up from 31 the previous year. The outlet also reported that female MPs and those from minority backgrounds are disproportionately targeted.

Increased security measures

Both outlets noted that security measures for lawmakers have been increased, including panic buttons and additional locks. However, the coverage suggests that these measures may not be sufficient, with Reform UK calling for more comprehensive protection.

Perspectives

Reform UK

Reform UK's home affairs policy chief accused other politicians and the media of fuelling hostility towards the party, which he said had led to death threats against Nigel Farage and other lawmakers. He called for all MPs to be provided with round-the-clock protection if they want it.

MPs and security experts

Individual MPs have described the personal toll of threats and abuse, with many saying the situation has worsened. Some have changed their routines and behaviour to avoid confrontation. The Guardian's coverage highlighted the impact on MPs' personal lives and mental health, with Jess Phillips expressing guilt about the effect on her staff and family.

How each outlet told it

ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC

Framing: Reform UK's response to Ann Widdecombe's death — Concerned and urgent

Facts Included:

Ann Widdecombe's alleged murder
Reform UK's call for full security for lawmakers
Nigel Farage receiving death threats
Previous attacks on politicians, such as David Amess and Jo Cox
Increased security measures for lawmakers

Read the source article →

The Guardian — World as of Jul 14, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC

Framing: The reality of threats against MPs — Somber and reflective

Facts Included:

Ann Widdecombe's death and its impact on MPs' security
Data on the number of crimes reported by MPs
Disproportionate targeting of female MPs and those from minority backgrounds
Impact of threats on MPs' personal lives and mental health
Previous attacks on politicians, such as David Amess and Jo Cox

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimAnn Widdecombe, a prominent member of Reform UK, was allegedly murdered.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimReform UK has called for all lawmakers to be given full security if they want it.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC
ClaimNigel Farage has received death threats, with almost 600 since February.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimPrevious attacks on politicians include the murders of David Amess and Jo Cox.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimSecurity measures for lawmakers have been increased, including panic buttons and additional locks.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from ABC Australia as of Jul 16, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimFemale MPs and those from minority backgrounds are disproportionately targeted with threats.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via The Guardian — World as of Jul 14, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC
ClaimMPs reported 4,064 crimes to the Metropolitan police's parliamentary liaison team between 2019 and 2025.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via The Guardian — World as of Jul 14, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC
ClaimThe number of alleged offences against MPs increased from 364 in 2019 to 976 in 2025.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via The Guardian — World as of Jul 14, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC
ClaimThere were 50 death threats reported against MPs in 2025, up from 31 the previous year.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via The Guardian — World as of Jul 14, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

2 outlets · 2 articles consulted: ABC Australia, The Guardian — World 9 claims extracted 1 editorial revision Version 1 Written 2026-08-15