‘Abuse and threats’ Jo Cox’s sister details MP’s hell as David Amess killer sentenced
JO COX's sister has laid bare details of safety concerns faced by MPs after the killer of Sir David Amess was sentenced earlier today.
Politicians still face ’abuse’ says Kim Leadbeater
Kim Leadbeater MP has warned the culture around politics has to change to stop people from being “drawn towards extremes”. The reality of public-serving politicians has been shaken by the recent killings of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, with the latter’s killer Ali Harbi Ali found guilty of murder today. Ms Leadbeater said that despite the conviction, the threats facing politicians have not “got any better” and British culture must be examined to protect against further deaths.
Speaking to Sky News, the MP said: “Sadly, I’m not sure things have got any better over the last few years since Jo was murdered.
“We see a lot of abuse, intimidation, and threats directed at people in public life and we all have to work to try and change that, including politicians ourselves.
“But also, let’s be clear, Sir David and Jo were murdered by political extremists.
“We also have to look at what is going on in our society that is drawing people to the extremes.
“I don’t think the two are separate. The culture around politics is an important part of the kind of society we want so that people are not drawn toward those kinds of extremes.
Her comments follow the conviction of 26-year-old Ali for the murder of Sir David Amess on October 15 last year.
The Conservative politician was brutally stabbed 21 times while hosting a meeting with his Southend West constituents.
He died within an hour despite swift medical attention.
During the hearing today, Ali reportedly refused to stand during the reading of the verdict, with the jury taking only 18 minutes to convict him.
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He will be sentenced on Wednesday, with the Crown expected to ask the court to impose a whole-life sentence, meaning he will never be released.
A number of MPs went public with the abuse they had suffered as a politician after the killing of Sir David.
One cabinet minister said: “Talking with colleagues this afternoon, there isn’t one of us, not one of us, who couldn’t give you a list of alarming examples of things that have been said or done in a constituency surgery.”
Sir Charles Walker, who served as chair of the House of Commons Procedure Committee, said that “living in fear has become a routine part of many of my colleagues’ lives”.
He added: “Many have the incredible ability to compartmentalise that part of their existences, but it should not have to be that way.”
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The murder of Jo Cox in 2016 initiated a wave of renewed attention regarding the safety of politicians.
Complaints of abuse against MPs were centralised to create a more coherent picture of its extent and personal security was tightened.
But there remains significant variation among MPs over how they conduct their business within their own constituencies, and there appears to be little notion of how to ensure safety in the future.
Despite spending on MPs' security increasing from just £171,000 in the two years prior to Cox’s death to £4.2 million the two years after, Sir David was left defenceless last year.