Tory MP receives death threat after voting against Government on no-deal Brexit
2 min read
Former minister Nick Boles last night received a death threat after he spoke out against the Government over its refusal to rule out a no-deal Brexit.
The Tory MP was branded a "traitor" in an anonymous, expletive-laden rant submitted through his website, after he helped defeat the Government in a Commons showdown.
It came on the day MPs lined up to condemn the abuse received by Remain-supporting Conservative Anna Soubry, who was branded a “Nazi” and pursued by a small group of demonstrators outside Parliament.
Mr Boles was one of 20 Tory MPs who voted for an amendment restricting Treasury powers to hike taxes in the event of a no-deal departure from the EU.
The message, shared by Mr Boles on social media, read: “Your days are f***in numbered traitor! Prepare to die........"
Reacting to what he dubbed the “charming” threat, the former minister - who battled cancer in 2016 and 2017 - said: “If the inadequate who sent [it] knew anything about me he would realise I need no reminding that my days are numbered!"
Speaking to PoliticsHome, he added: "I imagine that it will redouble the determination of most MPs to stand up for their beliefs. Luciana Berger has given us all an example to follow."
Labour MP Ms Berger has faced a number of death threats during her campaign to stamp anti-Semitism out of the Labour party.
Speaking in the Commons ahead of the vote yesterday, Mr Boles hit out at language used by Brexit-supporting colleagues, and said it was “disgraceful” to suggest those backing the amendment to the Finance Bill were “breaking faith”.
He said: "It is simply not possible to suggest nobody can claim that we do not have a deal that it is reasonable for Conservative members to support.
"It is therefore reasonable for us to say that, at this late stage, with the Government having prepared as woefully as they have for no deal, we will on no account countenance a no-deal Brexit."
The threat to Mr Boles came as a Brexit-backing MP revealed he had decided to don a body-worn camera in a bid to record abusive behaviour by protestors outside Parliament.
David T C Davies said he would be wearing the device whenever he walked near Westminster for "protection and evidential purposes" after being ill-treated by Remain supporters.
At least 55 parliamentarians have meanwhile signed a letter to Metropolitan police commissioner Cressida Dick demanding better protection for MPs from “abuse, intimidation and threatening behaviour”.
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