An MP whose office was hit by a suspected arson attack on Christmas eve says he wears a stab vest when going to public events.
Conservative MP Mike Freer told Sky News that the use of stab vests among MPs is “sadly par for the course these days” when out in public.
His comments came as police continue to investigate a fire started on Christmas Eve in a shed at the MP’s office at Ballards Lane in Finchley, north London.
No one was in the office at the time of the fire.
Asked by Sky News presenter Nick Quraishi how unsettling the suspected arson attack was, Mr Freer said: “Sadly it’s becoming part of the job, and it shouldn’t be.
“Too many MPs have had to cope with physical threats and sadly we’ve seen several of my colleagues lose their lives.”
Mr Freer said he has had regular safety scares since becoming an MP, including the man who assassinated Sir David Amess – Ali Harbi Ali – turning up at his office before the murder in 2021.
“It is difficult to take it in your stride, but it is a fundamental part of our democracy that MPs are accessible to our constituents and I wouldn’t want that to change,” Mr Freer continued.
“Unfortunately, that goes with risks these days. I personally, like some of my other colleagues, wear stab vests if I do public events and sadly that is par for the course these days.
“And it shouldn’t be, but the accessibility of MPs is a fundamental part of our British democratic traditions.”
Mike Freer’s office
Emergency services at the scene on Christmas eve. Pic: @BallardsLane
Mr Freer, whose Finchley and Golders Green constituency has a high Jewish population, said the exact motive of the fire is not yet known but that it could be linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
“I’m hoping it is just someone with a grudge or someone with nothing better to do than cause a fire,” he said.
“Sadly, I’ve had too many instances in the past where I’ve been attacked because of my views on the Middle East, but also many of my constituents have had similar incidents.
“It’s not an unknown incident in Golders Green. When something flares in the Middle East, the level of attacks in my local area do go up.
“We’ll have to let the police do their jobs and find out what the exact motives were.”
Mr Freer says the ground floor and first floor of his office have suffered “significant damage”, including lost windows, smoke, water and fire damage. Most of the office is completely unusable, he added.
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“It’s incredibly worrying for my staff,” he said.
“They shouldn’t have to fear coming to work that they’re going to get attacked just because they work for an MP.”
He added that the suspected arson will be a concern for any staff who work for an MP across the country.
Mr Freer told Sky News the office is equipped with “significant security” including panic buttons and stab vests and that staff do background checks to ensure any members of the public who request a meeting are constituents.
“We’ve taken all reasonable steps to ensure we’re safe and secure, while remaining accessible,” he added.