Tory Mayor says stranger ‘threatened to cut him up with a chainsaw’ as he speaks out on terrifying abuse
Ben Houchen says he's had Special Branch knocking on his door
A TORY Mayor has claimed a stranger “threatened to cut him up with a chainsaw” as he speaks out on the terrible abuse he and his family have suffered.
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said his wife was “absolutely petrified” to answer the door and claimed the police “haven’t done anything” about it.
Cleveland Police have said they are looking into the incidents.
Mr Houchen told BBC Politics North: “I’ve had people threatening to cut me up with a chainsaw.
“I’ve had Special Branch knock on my door late at night because of a credible threat against my personal safety.
“My wife answers the door and is absolutely petrified about what might or might not happen.”
He added the cops needed to be “firmer” when dealing with the abuse suffered by politicians.
Mr Houchen said the amount of abuse politicians faced was “unacceptable” and was being driven by social media users who were “inciting” one another.
He said: “I mean, you can talk about free speech but ultimately, if we want a democracy where people are able to share different ideas in a civil manner, we need to have enforcement.”
Also speaking on the programme was the Liberal Democrat candidate for North Northumberland Natalie Younes who also said she had suffered harassment and online abuse.
She told the show: “It’s very easy for people to attack when there’s such a strong online opportunity to do that from the safety of your own home.
“We just had to block them.”
While she was out canvassing and knocking on doors, she claimed the response had been “generally quite good” but added: “It’s not that person…It’s those who are hiding at home making comments”.
The new Labour MP for Sunderland Central Lewis Atkinson said all the new MPs had been given safety advice and panic alarms when they had arrived at Westminster to start their new jobs.
Mr Atkinson said: “It’s really sobering turning up on day one of the job and being issued with a panic alarm and being given advice saying don’t publicise in advance if you’re going to an event in the constituency because people can target it.
“Our democracy rests on people having access to their politicians and while we might disagree on individual issues we should be able to go out and do our work.”
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Threats and acts of violence or intimidation against anyone standing to be or in position as a democratically elected representative are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“Public safety is an absolute priority for Cleveland Police and we can reassure the Mayor and other elected officials that we will do everything possible to identify and deal with offenders.
“In common with police forces nationally under Operation Bridger, we allocate significant resources to advising and protecting our local MPs.
“We have also recently recruited a dedicated Force Elected Official Advisor who will be the lead officer and point of contact for Operations Bridger and Ford.
“Both are 24/7/365 operations – the latter was launched earlier this year as an extension of Op Bridger with the remit of advising and protecting our Mayor, Police and Crime Commissioner and councillors.
“In 2019 officers from the then ‘Special Branch’, now Counter Terrorism Policing North East, carried out mandatory introductory visits to elected officials to explain their role however, we have no record of any deployment in response to a threat in the Cleveland Police force area.
“We have shared the details of incidents with Lord Houchen where we have recorded and responded to allegations in relation to the Mayor’s concerns for his safety.
“The response to each of these incidents was considered appropriate and proportionate from a policing point of view and also from the perspective of the individual concerned.”
It comes after Jo Cox’s sister told The Sun politicians are still forced to fear for their lives eight years on from the MP’s murder.
Labour MP Jo was shot and stabbed by a neo-Nazi thug in her West Yorkshire constituency on June 16, 2016, during the EU referendum.
She was attacked outside a library in Birstall, where she had been planning to meet her constituents for a surgery.
Prime Minister David Cameron described Batley and Spen MP Jo as “a star for her constituents and a star in parliament”.
Jo was the first sitting MP to be killed since the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
In 2021 Jo’s sister Kim Leadbeater was elected as the Labour MP for Batley and Spen.
Kim now warns politics is still toxic eight years on from Jo’s murder – putting MPs in danger.
A number of MPs of all stripes stood down this election because of vile threats and abuse, detailed in a report by the Jo Cox Foundation.
It comes after MP David Amess was stabbed in what was the most recent political killing – the same year Jo’s sister became an MP.
The 69-year-old was knifed to death in a terrorist attack by Ali Harbi Ali at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in October 2021.
Rising SNP star Mhairi Black was one of the parliamentarians put off seeking re-election by the toxic atmosphere in politics.
She said: “Since 2015, the lives of my loved ones have been turned upside down and inside out.
“Between media attention, social media abuse, threats, constant travel, and the murders of two MPs, my loved ones have been in a constant state of anxiety for my health and safety.”
Conservative MP Mike Freer previously claimed he had received a torrent of threats – including a suspected arson attack on his London constituency office in December.
Mr Freer announced he would stand down as MP for Finchley and Golders Green at the next general election after a series of death threats.
