“This week Parliament sent a very dangerous signal that this type of intimidation is effective.”
London:
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned of a growing toxic culture in politics amid reports that MPs face security threats over their intention to vote in the House of Commons in relation to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The 43-year-old leader of British India issued a statement on Saturday condemning extremists for hijacking the country’s street protests to glorify terrorism. The Sunday Times reported that three unnamed female MPs were subject to extra security measures amid fears for their safety.
“Prejudice and anti-Semitism surge since Hamas attacks on October 7 [2023] are unacceptable because they are un-British. Simply put, anti-Semitism is racism,” Sunak said in a statement.
“Legitimate protests have been hijacked by extremists to promote and glorify terrorism, with verbal threats and physical attacks against elected representatives, and violent attacks and anti-Semitic tropes flooding our own parliamentary buildings,” he said, referring to the Recent offensive projections targeting the Palace of Westminster.
“A very dangerous signal has been sent in Parliament this week that this kind of intimidation is effective. It is toxic to our society and politics and an affront to the freedoms and values we hold dear in the UK,” he said of these scenes. The House of Commons was thrown into chaos last week over the Gaza ceasefire vote.
While he did not mention the matter specifically, his intervention came immediately after ruling Conservative MP Lee Anderson claimed in an interview that London Mayor Sadiq Khan, of Pakistani origin, was controlled by “Islamists”.
Opposition parties demanded action over the comments, with Labor leader Keir Starmer branding them an “outbreak of racism and Islamophobia”.
Starmer said: “Not only is this embarrassing for the Conservative Party, it is emboldening the worst elements in our politics.”
Previously, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman published an article over the weekend claiming that Islamists and extremists were taking over all walks of life in the UK. The opposition party attacked it as “extreme remarks”.
Braverman, who was sacked by Sunak last year, responded to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle saying he had selected certain amendments to motions related to the Gaza ceasefire to ensure all options were on the table on the table for MPs to vote. and protect the safety of members of Congress.
According to the Sunday Times, British Security Secretary Tom Tugendhat has been working with the Home Office, police and parliamentary authorities to significantly increase the security of MPs. As part of the reforms, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which is responsible for the security of the royal family and senior politicians including the Prime Minister and Home Secretary, has stepped in to help assess threats to MPs.
A senior security source said “many MPs are shocked by the abuse they have faced”.
It is understood the congresswomen who needed extra security were given tight protection by private companies and provided with chauffeur-driven cars, which are usually only given to senior cabinet members and the leader of the opposition.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
