Lee Scott voices fears over anti-Semitism ahead of 2015 election
MP Lee Scott has met police to discuss his personal security ahead of the 2015 election amid fears he will be targeted by abuse including anti-Semitism.
The Tory representative for Ilford North told a parliamentary debate last week that two men “called me a dirty Jew and said they were going to kill me,” ahead of the 2010 poll. Scott said leaflets showing him wearing a yarmulke, saying he was “an enemy of Islam”, were later distributed. He added: “I still regularly get e-mails saying that I should be stoned to death.”
And speaking after a London Jewish Forum event in Westminster on Monday, he expressed fears over abuse referring to his religion or support for Israel. “Some of the blogs, websites and emails have not stopped,” he said. “I am sure it will with regret get worse during period up to next election. While it saddens me I have got used to it and it will not deter me from the job I love.”
He said he had already met the local police commander to discuss and similar measures would be put in place to ensure his and his family’s security “The police gave us a panic button, patrolled our house and my car was checked daily,” he said.
Scott, who is also private parliamentary secretary to Culture Secretary Chris Grayling, was among those to give evidence to the all-party parliamentary enquiry into electoral conduct. Members of the group, set up by the APPG against anti-Semitism, are calling on the three main parties to commit to a framework for reporting discrimination during election periods.
Also during the LJF Think Jewish London event, partnered by the Jewish News, Scott tackled questions on UKIP, meat labelling and the reported comments of a teacher at North London Collegiate. He said he was “appalled” by the remark and the member of staff should be subject to a disciplinary process but insisted it wasn’t down to politicians to dictate the outcome without being privy to the full facts.
Event chair Adrian Cohen, of the LJF, said: ‘We had an excellent session with Lee, in which the participants enjoyed an open and robust exchange of ideas and views, covering a wide range of important areas for the community.”
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