SNP MP has alarms installed at home following death threats

A Scottish MP has spoken of the death threats she received following her election for the SNP in 2015.
East Kilbride MP Lisa Cameron said she received death threats following her election in 2015. Picture: PAEast Kilbride MP Lisa Cameron said she received death threats following her election in 2015. Picture: PA
East Kilbride MP Lisa Cameron said she received death threats following her election in 2015. Picture: PA

Lisa Cameron, who represents East Kilbride, Strathaven, and Lesmahagow, spoke out as it was revealed a police team set up to handle crimes against MPs has dealt with 35 complaints since the murder of Jo Cox in June last year.

Police have installed alarms and panic buttons at Ms Cameron’s home in South Lanarkshire.

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“I went from being a doctor in the local community where I was well-respected and would never have received this type of threat online or via mail to having received death threats where images of beheaded corpses were sent to me, with threats towards myself and my children and family’s lives,” the MP told the BBC.

“Someone had put together a letter from newspaper word cuttings and sent it to me, also threatening to harm me and my family.”

She added: “The security measures are a step in the right direction, and following the election and having come from the NHS and having seen the level of security and staff safety policy there I was shocked MPs at that stage had very little in terms of risk management procedures in place.

“I can say that it (the threats) did happen almost instantaneously from moving from one career to another and that was the defining change I experienced. It was almost like I was fair game and my children and family were then fair game too, which I think isn’t right.”