UK Politics Hits a New Low: MPs Fear for Their Safety

August 24, 2025 09:20 PM
UK Lawmakers Face Unprecedented Online Harassment Over Immigration Debate

A growing number of UK Members of Parliament (MPs) are reporting a dramatic escalation in online abuse, including death threats and violent harassment, linked to the increasingly polarized debate on immigration. Many MPs state that the current level of hostility surpasses even the intense period of the Brexit referendum, with female and minority ethnic MPs disproportionately targeted.

The warnings follow a weekend of heightened tensions marked by protests and counter-protests at hotels housing asylum seekers, which led to 15 arrests on Saturday. An anonymous female MP revealed she had reported an online rape threat to the police, directly connected to her support for asylum seekers.

Escalating Threats and Misinformation-The abuse is fueled by a mix of online misinformation and a highly charged political atmosphere. Anna Dixon, the Labour MP for Shipley, received death threats after a fellow MP, Robbie Moore, shared what she described as "misleading" information about her stance on a national inquiry into grooming gangs. While Moore condemned the threats, he maintained his right to raise "legitimate concerns."

Other MPs echoed these sentiments. Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour MP for Gower, described the social media and email abuse as "grim," noting that the political environment has become "frighteningly polarised." She stated, "It’s worse than Brexit. In fact, I could cope with that better.”

Carla Denyer, the Green Party co-leader and MP for Bristol Central, has also seen a noticeable increase in threats, which she attributed to her public support for refugees and LGBTQ+ issues. "As a left-wing and queer woman MP, I attract a lot of misogynist and homophobic abuse," she said, adding that such threats will not silence her. A recent survey from a speaker's conference on MP security found that only 52% of respondents felt safe in their role, with online abuse being the biggest concern.

The rise in abuse is not limited to social media. An unnamed MP who was elected last year said she faces "daily lies about asylum seeker hotels and HMOs," which she says are "entirely fabricated and are leading to huge anger and fear." The sentiment is shared across the political spectrum, with many MPs requesting anonymity to avoid further targeting.

Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition and widower of the murdered MP Jo Cox, warned that "threats to MPs don’t come from nowhere," and that "when mainstream politicians use violent or extreme rhetoric, dehumanisation of opponents increases and violence becomes more likely."

In response to the volatile climate, the government has announced a fast-track asylum appeals process to expedite the removal of failed asylum seekers. The Labour Party has also pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers by 2029.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis stated that "vile threats and the intimidation of those who serve in public life is utterly unacceptable." He confirmed that the defending democracy taskforce is working to ensure a "whole-of-government response" to these threats, stressing that while robust debate is essential, "there will never be a place for fear in our democracy."