OPINION: I was on radar of terrorist who killed Sir David Amess
Conservative MP Mike Freer: Ali Harbi Ali targeted two other MPs. I was one of them."
Many readers of Jewish News will have read the horrifying details that have emerged during the trial into the death of my colleague, Sir David Amess. Sadly, as was reported back in October, the same individual was targeting two other MPs; I was one of them.
Now that the trial is over, and Sir David’s killer has been given a whole life sentence, I am able to speak more freely about that. My experience, of course, pales in significance against the horror that Sir David and his family endured.
The convicted terrorist, Ali Harbi Ali, was seen around my constituency office in Finchley on Friday 17th September. That day, I was due to hold a constituency surgery – and would have been in and around my office going about my duties as MP for Finchley and Golders Green.
Had the prime minister not appointed me a Minister at the Department for International Trade the evening before, causing my planned surgery to be postponed, things might have been very different.
In the days following Sir David’s death, the police informed me of my connection to the case. This was, as you can imagine, particularly unnerving for me, my family and my staff.
During the past 12 years in parliament, I have always done my utmost to make myself accessible to my constituents. Whether they have agreed with my politics or not – and naturally many do not – I try to engage as much as possible, whether that is through surgery appointments, out around my constituency in my mobile surgery van, or indeed speaking to constituents as I bump into them on the street. Being a target forced me to suspend many of these activities for my safety and that of my staff.
But the biggest impact has been on my husband, Angelo, who understandably didn’t want me to do any surgeries anymore through fear for my safety. While I cannot do that – nor would I want to as the surgeries are an important part of representing my constituents – how I engage publicly has unfortunately had to change. Over recent months, following security advice, I have not been holding in-person surgeries – something for which I hope my constituents will forgive me.
My office has taken a range of precautions for security, some of which I won’t disclose. These changes include asking for proof of address from anyone who wants to see me. By implementing additional precautions, I hope to get back to meeting my constituents over the coming months, while ensuring the safety of me and my staff.
I have had run-ins with radicalised groups and other incidents in the past, and I have had unfortunately to accept that this is part of being an MP in the modern era.
Two MPs have now been murdered while going about their democratic duty in the space of only six years. The internet and social media have fostered a spread of hate. Since I became an MP in 2010, the discourse has notably changed; people hide behind their screens and the hate that they spew does, in my opinion, make the risk of attacks much more likely.
My focus will always remain firmly on representing the people of Finchley and Golders Green. While I wanted to put the impact that these events have had on me, my family and my staff across, I also do not want to lose sight of the fact that none of this story should be about me.
We have lost a great man, a good friend and an excellent public servant to this hateful and horrific crime, and it is important to remember him. Parliament is certainly a much poorer place for his passing.
My thoughts remain with Sir David Amess’s family, friends and former staff in these difficult times.
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