MP describes mocked-up photograph of his son being 'executed' by Islamic State

A Conservative MP has revealed the death threats levelled against him and his family - including a mocked-up photograph of his youngest son being "executed" by Islamic State.

Peter Bone (Wellingborough) said he dialled 999 once over safety fears in his first 11 years as an MP, compared with three times since June's EU referendum.

He added the police have also intervened recently after both he and his wife Jennie received death threats.

Mr Bone said other incidents included "two bullet holes" - caused by air pellets - in a constituency office window and an attack on his house.

He described the mocked-up photograph of his son via social media as "one of the worst things" he has faced.

Pro-Brexit Mr Bone, first elected in 2005, made the remarks as he spoke against plans to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

Spending on security for MPs stood at £637,791.63 between June 16 and October 26, according to figures released to MailOnline, compared with £160,000 in the 2015/16 financial year.

The increase followed the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox.

Mr Bone, speaking during the second reading of the Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill, said: "I doubt if there's a member in this House who in the last few years hasn't been threatened.

"We've seen the terrible death of a colleague. We've seen other colleagues attacked.

"I myself only recently have had death threats. My wife has had death threats. The police have intervened.

"In my first 11 years in this House I had to dial 999 once from my constituency office because we were worried.

"Since the referendum, I've had to call them three times.

"I had someone outside chained to the gates of Parliament who had threatened me.

"I've had two bullet holes - admittedly air pellets - put in the windows of my office.

"I've had my house attacked. I've had the office windows smashed.

"The vile stuff we get on Twitter is unbelievable.

"One of the worst things that happened was, some months ago, there was a picture of my youngest son being 'executed' by Isis.

"They'd actually taken another child and mocked it up and the police rang me up to say 'Where's your son?'. I said 'I think he's at school', 'Well you better check'.

"We have to put up with all that and we have to have contact with our constituents.

"And I wouldn't change any of that and some of us will be getting enhanced security and (the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority) is doing its best to help with that.

"We have to deal with that sort of stuff."

Mr Bone said many issues raised by constituents are "run-of-the-mill things" which they can help with.

He added: "Some of it is exceptionally serious. I can remember at least two occasions while we campaigned in this House - one of them was thanks to Gordon Brown, the position on the NHS changed on some treatment, a little boy who would have died got a few years extra life out of it.

"That sort of thing is really worthwhile to what we all do.

"But it is time consuming. It is really, really time consuming.

"And the fact is, if we're going to put more and more work on us because of the EU and at the same time reduce the number of MPs, we won't do the scrutiny properly - I'm afraid our service to our constituents will go down.

"I feel quite passionately about that and that's why I don't think we should be reducing the number of MPs."

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