North London MP Mike Freer to step down over threats to safety

Conservative Member of Parliament Mike Freer mentioned that he has experienced many instances of aggression towards him and his workplace.

On Thursday, the spokesperson for the Prime Minister reported that Rishi Sunak expressed deep sadness over the resignation of MP Mike Freer from his London position in the upcoming election. This came after the justice minister received several threats, including an incident of arson at his constituency office.

The politician representing Finchley and Golders Green from the Conservative Party has revealed that he narrowly escaped being killed by Ali Harbi Ali, who later on tragically murdered Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West.

Both supporters and adversaries hailed Mr. Freer and called for restraint in political dialogue, following vicious social media attacks and death threats against him. Mr. Freer is a devoted supporter of Israel and serves an area with a significant Jewish community.

The spokesman of Mr. Sunak expressed the Prime Minister's deep sorrow upon hearing that Minister Freer had been subjected to intense and bitter hostility, leading to his decision of not being able to continue serving his local community.

According to him, being a public servant and advocating for your community is a special honor, and having a positive impact on people's lives is the most satisfying profession one can engage in.

It is not acceptable to mistreat or intimidate any elected official, and the negative behavior and harassment that Mike Freer refers to are clearly causing significant emotional pain. This misconduct is not only an assault on him personally, but is also an assault on the foundational principles of the British democratic process.

The current safeguards in place for Members of Parliament are regularly assessed, but they are said to be strong and reliable, according to the spokesperson.

Mr. Freer has officially confirmed to the Standard that the reasons for his resignation, which he had previously spoken about in an interview with the Daily Mail, were due to his concerns for his personal safety. He expressed in a post on social media that he has received numerous threats to his safety since being elected as MP of Finchley and Golders Green in 2010.

Initially attacked in 2011, the ex-councillor of Finchley and former Barnet Council leader were singled out only a year after the stabbing of Stephen Timms, a Labour MP from East London.

A bunch named Muslims Against Crusades advised him to take heed from what happened to Stephen Timms as some of their followers stormed into an affair he was present at in the North Finchley Mosque.

Mr. Freer expressed in a written communication to his Conservative association that it would be difficult for him to resign from his position and that the negative comments have taken a toll on both him and his partner, Angelo.

The Member of Parliament and his team have made a choice to put on protective vests that can resist stabs during their planned public gatherings in his electoral district. This decision came after realizing that Ali had monitored the MP's office in Finchley, and subsequently attacked Sir David during a constituency surgery this year.

Mr. Freer explained to the Daily Mail that he was fortunate to have altered his plans and arrived at Whitehall instead of Finchley, as originally intended.

If not for that, I cannot say for sure if I would have faced aggression or even made it out alive. According to him, his intention upon coming to Finchley was to harm me.

According to him, MPs usually attempt to downplay the seriousness of threats, but he always kept in mind that he could have lost his life.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, expressed his sadness regarding the situation. During an interview on the Good Morning Britain show, he shared that while it's not uncommon for politicians to receive death threats, Mike had been particularly singled out.

Public officials aim to serve their voters and their nation with proper actions, yet there are constant hindrances from certain groups blocking their efforts. Sir Lindsay stated that this behavior is unacceptable.

As the Speaker, I will collaborate with security personnel, police officers, and various ministers to guarantee the safety of all members, their loved ones, and their workspaces.

Currently, that poses a significant obstacle. It certainly poses a danger.

Laura Trott, who is the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, expressed her deep sadness regarding the news. She praised Mike Freer for being an outstanding minister and a wonderful person who has made significant contributions to British society.

During a GB News segment, she expressed her disapproval of the claim that he cannot run for MP in the upcoming election due to the intimidation he has faced. She deemed this notion as unacceptable.

According to Mr Freer, the group Muslims Against Crusades has also made threatening remarks to him, mentioning that they might come and attack him with a knife. Furthermore, Mr Freer discovered imitation Molotov cocktails on the steps outside of his office.

According to him, the arson attack on his constituency office in north London in December was the last thing he could tolerate. Additionally, he believes that antisemitism and intimidation go hand in hand and cannot be considered separately.

In the previous General Election held in 2019, he emerged victoriously with a lead of 6,562 votes. He was able to outdo the Liberal Democrat contender after Labour was plagued with controversies regarding antisemitism during Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

Mr. Freer has recently joined the growing list of MPs who have declared their plan of not participating in the upcoming election, which is anticipated to take place later this year. Further to that, there is also a possibility of Mr. Freer's constituency being swept up by the Labour party.

Sarah Sackman, who is running for Labour in Finchley and Golders Green, expressed her surprise upon hearing about the news. She commented that the election should have been a fair competition where both candidates discussed their ideas and qualifications.

However, politics has become frequently distorted by the use of aggressive words, animosity, and the threats posed by social media.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, expressed his sadness as well.

During his appearance on Good Morning Britain on ITV, he stated that receiving death threats is common, however, Mike has specifically been singled out.

Public officials aim to fulfill their responsibility towards their voters and their nation, but there are individuals who consistently obstruct their elected duties. Such conduct is not appropriate, emphasized Sir Lindsay.

As the Speaker, I will take every possible action to collaborate with security, police, and ministers to guarantee the safety of members, their loved ones, and their workplaces.

Currently, that is the major hurdle that we are facing. It is truly a danger.

Sir Conor Burns, a former minister from the Tory party, shared on Twitter that he completely understands the decision made. The continuous flow of negativity and hatred towards politicians, not just from those on the opposite side, along with the consistent lack of trust and belief in the political system will only push more individuals away from participating in politics.