Man arrested by police probing death threat to Angela Eagle
The 44-year-old suspect has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill
A 44-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill in an email to Labour Party leadership contender Angela Eagle.
Merseyside Police said the suspect is being questioned following an arrest in Paisley, Renfrewshire, today.
A police spokeswoman said: "A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill.
"Officers from Merseyside Police executed a warrant in Paisley, Scotland, this morning and arrested the man.
"He will be questioned by Merseyside detectives today.
"The arrest comes after an email was sent to the account of Wallasey MP Angela Eagle."
Yesterday Ms Eagle said she has suffered torrents of online abuse against her including being branded a "treacherous lesbian" and she said staff in her constituency office had left unplugged phones to prevent a flood of abusive calls.
On BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme she said: "I’m told I have had death threats and the police are looking into it.”
The wannabe Labour leader had a brick thrown through her office window on the day she launched her bid to topple Jeremy Corbyn.
Merseyside cops are investigating the criminal damage to the front ground floor window of her office in Wallasey on Monday night.
Despite being backed by over 50 MPs, the coincidental timing of the brick attack has prompted fears Ms Eagle faces backlash from some opposed to her leadership challenge.
It comes less than a month after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency.
In a statement Corbyn condemned what had happened and said he too had been a victim of death threats.
He said: “It is extremely concerning that Angela Eagle has been the victim of a threatening act and that other MPs are receiving abuse and threats.
“As someone who has also received death threats this week and previously, I am calling on all Labour Party members and supporters to act with calm and treat each other with respect and dignity, even where there is disagreement.
“I utterly condemn any violence or threats, which undermine the democracy within our party and have no place in our politics.”
Other Labour MPs threatened in recent weeks
Yvette Cooper
On June 21, just two days before the EU referendum, Yvette Cooper received a tweet reading: “Hello, Yvette I have received your Stronger In propaganda e-mails 5 times please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids.”
The threat came amid an increasingly vitriolic referendum campaign in which Cooper supported Remain.
Pat Glass
Pat Glass, formerly Labour’s shadow Europe minister, also received death threats during the EU referendum.
Police advised her to avoid the count on referendum night.
Normally she would have dismissed these as down to “keyboard warriors” but took extra precautions following her colleague Jo Cox’s death.
Vicky Foxcroft
An aide to Labour Whip Vicky Foxcroft was told earlier this month: “If she doesn’t support Corbyn I will come down to the office and kick the f*** out of you.” Police were called to her constituency office after the man said he was on his way and hung up.
Luciana Berger
Luciana Berger also contacted police earlier this week after receiving violent and anti-Semitic threats.
Liverpool Wavertree MP Berger was the only Jewish member of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, resigning as shadow mental health minister on June 27.
One warned, “You better watch your back Jewish scum.” Another said: “You are going to get it like Jo Cox did.”
Ben Bradshaw
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw received a death theat the day before Jo Cox's murder.
Geoffrey Farquharson, from Exeter, left his full name and address on a voicemail rant ending in the words, “I will kill you.”
Bradshaw said this was not the first death threat he had received, and that he would not have been concerned had it not been for the Jo Cox murder.
Farquharson, 37, has admitted sending a communication of an indecent or offensive nature and will be sentenced in August.
Jess Phillips
In May, Jess Phillips received 600 rape threats in one night following a campaign launch against sexist online bullying.
She complained after Twitter failed to act against the abusers, saying: “If these were letters to my office the police would currently be fitting panic buttons and telling me to stay away.”