LONDON: The youngest Muslim MP ever elected in the UK has become the biggest parliamentary target of online hate after speaking out on Palestinian rights in the wake of the Gaza war, Sky News reported on Wednesday.
Zarah Sultana, 30, was first elected MP for Coventry South in the 2019 general election. Born to a Pakistani Muslim family in Birmingham, the Labour MP has a large online following on social media, which she described as a “crucial part of the job.”
But Sultana’s activity and commentary in the wake of Israel’s invasion of Gaza has seen her become a target of online abuse.
According to parliamentary records for this year, she has become the “most at-risk MP online.”
Amid growing concerns over the safety of elected officials in the UK, and following the killings of two MPs in the span of a decade, Sultana now follows strict security measures.
The MP “logs the date, location and time” of every event she attends in order to notify parliamentary security teams about potential dangers.
But Sultana told Sky News that online hate has posed the biggest concern since late last year, when she “started talking about Palestinian rights.”
On a daily basis, she receives messages calling for her deportation and telling her to “go home to Pakistan.”
One message seen by Sky News said: “Send that b***h to Palestine they are low on targets.”
Sultana said she avoids public transport due to the threats, and is always accompanied by aides or security on any public visit.
Door-knocking also poses risks, with Sultana saying there have been conversations “where she’s not been completely sure she was on solid ground in terms of her safety.”
Parliamentary authorities say greater measures are being taken to protect the safety of MPs. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has said MPs at greater risk of violence are entitled to increased safety measures, including private cars that have been given to some female MPs.
A spokesperson for the House of Commons said: “The ability for members and their staff to perform their parliamentary duties safely both on and off the estate is fundamental to our democracy.
“Within the Parliamentary Security Department, a dedicated Members’ Security Support Service provides personal security advice to members and their staff — highlighting the physical, personal and online security measures and guidance available to them.
“These security measures are available to all MPs across the UK and members receive regular updates on security matters both on and off the estate.”