Rishi Sunak Says Intimidation Of MPs Threatens Democracy And Is "Unacceptable"

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said it is "unacceptable" for MPs to feel threatened in their jobs, and that a growing sense of intimidation of politicians is a threat to democracy.

Ahead of a speech to Welsh Conservative Party conference in North Wales on Friday morning, Sunak addressed the issue of MP safety, which has again risen in prominence this week after a row over an opposition day motion on a Gaza ceasefire was inflamed by the Speaker's unusual decision to alter Commons procedure with the aim of protecting MPs subject to threats. 

Sunak said it was right to ensure the safety of MPs to allow society to be able to function smoothly.

"People need to be able to raise their views and debate things without the fear of being intimidated or indeed attacked," he said. 

"And that’s why we’re giving police more powers to clamp down on protests. It’s simply unacceptable for intimidation or aggressive behaviour to threaten our parliamentary democracy and our freedom of expression.

"And some of the scenes we’ve been seeing in recent months, particularly antisemitic behaviour, are appalling and unacceptable. That’s why we’re giving the police more powers and I expect them to use them to make sure we clamp down on all of this."

In his conference speech Sunak criticised the Welsh Labour administration while he also spoke about the Government's record on the economy, which he said had begun to turn a corner and claimed the public should see the "green shoots" of a recovery.

“I see it from going out and about across the country every week talking to people. And there is a palpable sense out there, regardless of what Keir Starmer might want to say because he is always keen to talk down Britain," he said. 

"I can tell actually on the