Angela Rayner: Labour deputy tells of fears over death threats

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has told of her distress at repeated abuse including threats to "hunt her down" like murdered MP Jo Cox.

Speaking at length about the issue for the first time, the Ashton-under-Lyne MP told the BBC the harassment began when she took on the role in 2020.

Benjamin Iliffe was sentenced to 15 weeks in prison for sending Ms Rayner a threatening email in October.

Ms Rayner said she had now "got used to the abuse, which was sad in itself".

The MP told BBC North West Tonight that at first she was called "thick" and mocked for her northern accent by trolls, before the harassment became more sinister.

She now has a permanent police escort and has had panic buttons fitted in her home.

She said her youngest children have even had to learn about safe evacuation routes and how to use the buttons.

"They have had to get used to the police coming round, which is not what I would consider to be everyday existence for most children," she said.

Many MPs opened up about their own personal safety following the death of Sir David Amess, in October.

The Conservative MP was stabbed at his constituency surgery in Essex.

In 2016 Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in an attack in her constituency in West Yorkshire.

The terror threat level currently facing MPs was raised from "moderate" to "substantial" following a government review last month.

Ms Rayner said she was previously reluctant to speak about the harassment for fear of making the threats worse.

"I have received emails saying 'do us all a favour so we do not have to hunt you down like Jo Cox'," she said.

"It worries my mum. She literally thinks that people are out to kill me and it is very difficult for her to see that.

"My eldest son has said to me that he does not want me to do this any more."

She said she had to face up to the reality that even with the best security MPs may always remain in danger.

"John F Kennedy had the best security in the world so if someone wants to do that, there is always a risk".

Ms Rayner also apologised once again after branding Conservative ministers "a bunch of scum" at her party's conference.

"On reflection of that, and seeing all the abuse that Conservative MPs were getting, I was devastated," she said.

"Violence and abuse is not part of our democracy."

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