This week a number of MPs received anonymous threats to kill them and their families. Below is taken from the Mumsnet chatroom, and gives an insight into the targeting of MPs’ families:

Thing is, MPs get targeted at their homes quite a lot. This was rare because it was filmed.

And this article has numbers lower than reality as not MPs responded.

DH is an MP. My kids are not allowed to answer the phone, or answer the door. We have CCTV to check before we open the door. We had panic buttons installed & our home is on a police register. We have a fire-bomb proof letter box. I had to explain all this to the kids. I had to explain what happened to Jo Cox.

Yesterday an email threatening to kill MPs and their children was sent to lots of MPs.

I’m alone at home with the kids during the week. It can get scary. Other MPs wives have had people hammering on the door shouting abuse in the middle of the night.

No matter what you think of the MP or their policies, involving their kids is shit. …

And we’re small fry. Most of you would probably never have heard of DH. We’ve not had many death threats, and we’re low profile.

High profile people get a whole extra layer of abuse. (And more security & more CCTV etc.) If the death threats against family get severe and are considered imminent, there might be extra measures like reinforced bedroom doors for the kids in case of intruders. And we get police advice on what to do if we’re followed etc.

MPs can expect some legitimate hurly burly, politics is a rough game. Targeting and intimidating their children is completely out of order.