By Leila Nathoo, Political correspondent • Sam Francis, Political reporter
Death threats and voter intimidation left Rushanara Ali needing police protection during her re-election campaign, the Labour MP has told the BBC.
Videos on social media show anti-Labour activists following and shouting at Ms Ali’s supporters as they canvassed, as well as a fake Labour leaflets circulating depicting her with devil horns.
In an exclusive BBC interview, Ms Ali said attempts to “intimidate people into not supporting the Labour Party” had “destabilised” her campaign.
Ms Ali, the first British Bangladeshi elected to parliament, saw her majority in Bethnal Green and Stepney cut from 37,500 votes to 1,700.
It comes as several MPs reported abuse in the election campaign.
Labour MPs Jess Phillips and Shabana Mahmood highlighted the intimidation and threats they endured, calling it an “assault on democracy”.
And Steve Rubidge, Reform UK’s candidate for Truro and Falmouth, suffered severe injuries during an alleged assault while campaigning.
Ms Ali reported weeks of abuse, threats and disinformation during an “unprecedented” campaign of harassment throughout the election.
A letter sent to Ms Ali’s office, and seen by the BBC, promised the Labour MP would be “smashed and killed” within days.
Protests outside her office and personal threats were also frequent, she said.
I had to have protection officers because Labour campaign gatherings would “attract certain individuals who would threaten violence,” Ms Ali said.
On election day a vehicle parked outside a polling station with “someone on a microphone shouting abuse” left constituents who trying to vote “cowed”, she told the BBC.
“There’s a real concern here in the community about the level of hostility, and that’s sliding into political violence – which is what we’ve seen,” she said.
“I spent as much time talking to the police and responding to threats and hostilities during this campaign as I did talking to voters.”
During her 14-years representing Bethnal Green “we’ve seen a lot, but not this level of hostility,” Ms Ali said.
Ms Ali said groups had been “weaponising” what she said was “legitimate anger about what’s happening” in Gaza.
Independent candidate Ajmal Masroor, who came second to Ms Ali, criticised her over her decision to abstain on a key vote calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Despite abstaining on the ceasefire vote, Ms Ali stated she consistently called for an end to hostilities and Labour’s stance was always aimed at achieving peace in the region.
But campaigners used the issue to try and turn a significant Bangladeshi Muslim community in the area against her, she said.
At mosques in the area, worshippers were told “if you vote for Labour or one of the other mainstream parties, then you’re not a good Muslim,” she said.
“People have the right to protest, but threats and harassment are unacceptable,” Ms Ali said.
Mr Masroor said he had no link to the those claiming Labour voters were not good Muslims and had “no idea why they said that”.
Responding to claims of harassment, Mr Masroor said: “Rushanara should never have been intimated or abused by anyone – that’s wrong.
“But it is also wrong to turn a blind eye to Palestinians who have been massacred.”
Mr Masroor claimed he had also suffered attempts at intimidation, including a group of about 16 people “screaming, shouting, verbally abusing people and swearing” at his campaign launch.
“Nobody should be intimidated, it should be outlawed.
“I said at the start of the campaign, if anyone attacks Rushanara I will stand in front of her. But I don’t see the same returned to me.”
Ms Ali is just one of several candidates who reported increased harassment during this year’s general election.
Ms Phillips, re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, described the election as her worst yet.
She told MPs her team faced threats, including having car tyres slashed and being filmed while canvassing.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said harassment, including masked men disrupting a community meeting and “terrifying” attendees, was “an assault on democracy itself”.
Ms Mahmood revealed that she had received physical threats, which were reported to the police.
While the pair held their city seats, contributing to their party’s landslide national victory, each saw their majorities diminish.
Both MPs faced competition in their constituencies from candidates who campaigned on pro-Gaza tickets.
Newly re-elected Labour MP Andrew Western claimed online his home had been attacked with a sledgehammer. He called for an end to political toxicity, stressing that harassment and intimidation are unacceptable.
In a post on social media Mr Western said “no-one was hurt” and the incident was being investigated by police.
In Truro and Falmouth, Reform UK candidate Mr Rubidge was assaulted and left with severe injuries while campaigning.
Mr Rubidge suffered “severely torn ligaments” after being attacked by a man while handing out election leaflets, the party said. Devon and Cornwall police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Party chairman Richard Tice condemned the attack saying: “This is no way of having a democratic debate and discussion. We can disagree, but we don’t fight each other.”
Ms Ali said she is coming forward now because she still has “regrets about not speaking out enough” before the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a far-right extremist.
In the last eight years, two MPs have been murdered, including Ms Cox. Sir David Amess was killed while holding an MP surgery in his Southend constituency in 2021 by an Islamic State supporter.
“All of us are still traumatised, and still grieving for the loss of Jo Cox and David Amess,” she said.
“It’s really important when people are entering public life they can act and carry out their duties to serve without fear of intimidation, hostility and danger to their lives and their families,” she said.
“It’s important to learn the lessons of what happened this election” to ensure “these things do not get worse,” she added.
A Met Polce spokesperson confirmed four people had been arrested on “suspicion of committing offences whilst campaigning for the general election” while campaigning in Bethnal Green and Stepney.
“We are committed to ensuring that MPs, their families and their staff can go about their work and lives without feeling unsafe and we will not tolerate MPs being intimidated,” the spokesman added.
“Any other incidents involving alleged offences in relation to the election will be assessed and if a criminal offence has been committed this will be investigated.”
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