Tory MP opens up on death threats he receives: 'I was told by someone they looked forward to making my wife a widow'

Tory MP opens up on death threats he receives: 'I was told by someone they looked forward to making my wife a widow'
Real me digi
Max Parry

By Max Parry


Published: 19/05/2022

- 14:46

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:22

"The worry is that someone writing something actually translates into action," Ranil Jayawardena told GB News in an exclusive interview

Conservative MP Ranil Jayawardena, speaking exclusively on The Real Me, told Gloria De Piero of the threats he has received both prior to becoming a Member of Parliament and since his election.

"Very recently I was told by someone they looked forward to making my wife a widow, and my children orphans," the MP for North East Hampshire told GB News.


"The police did intervene and I'm not an isolated case and dare I say women face it far worse."

He continued: "Female MPs get a huge amount of abuse through their post bag."

Mr Jayawardena spoke of his concerns that threats have the potential to become violent action.

"The worry is that someone writing something actually translates into action", he said.

"We saw the murder of Sir David Amess which shows sometimes it does."

Mr Jayawardena also discussed an incident prior to his election in 2015, in which he was threatened by another candidate.

Gloria De Piero speaks to Ranil Jayawardena exclusively on GB News
Gloria De Piero speaks to Ranil Jayawardena exclusively on GB News
GB News

Ranil Jayawardena MP for North East Hampshire
Ranil Jayawardena MP for North East Hampshire
GB News

He said: "The UKIP candidate basically said if I became an MP he wanted to shoot me.

"This was uncovered thanks to the undercover journalism of the Daily Mirror.

"This came out just before the election."

Mr Jayawardena told Gloria that when the news of the threats broke, those across the political spectrum were dismayed.

"Many many people even in UKIP were horrified," he said.

"The campaign to leave the EU has nothing to do with values like that."

According to the North East Hampshire MP, a number of voters regretted their decision to vote for the UKIP candidate in question, after they learned of the threats.

He added: "Many people said they were dismayed that they had already in the postal vote for him.

"Once again the constituency responded and I was elected with a very solid majority by people who said these are not the values the people of north east Hampshire hold."

Investigators at The Mirror spoke to the UKIP candidate that was running against Mr Jayawardena in 2015.

They filmed him discussing the possibility of Mr Jayawardena being a future PM, after the Tory was earmarked as potentially the first asian leader of Britain.

The Mirror reported that then UKIP candidate, Robert Blay, said: "If he is I will personally put a bullet between his eyes.

"If this lad turns up to be our prime minister I will personally put a bullet in him.

"That's how strong I feel about it."

UKIP suspended Mr Blay, after the threats came to light.

"Any comments of this sort have absolutely no place in British politics or public life, and the party would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Mr Jayawardena for any distress caused," said a party spokesman.

The UKIP leader at the time, Nigel Farage described Mr Blay's comments as "stupid".

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