Mike Freer, the UK minister for courts and legal services, has announced he will step down at the next general election following a series of death threats and an arson attack on his constituency office. Freer, who has represented Finchley and Golders Green since 2010, cited fears for his safety and the impact on his family.
Freer revealed that he narrowly avoided being murdered by Ali Harbi Ali, who later killed MP Sir David Amess in 2021. He told the Daily Mail: 'By the skin of my teeth I avoided being murdered.' Freer and his staff now wear stab vests at public events after learning Ali had surveilled his office before attacking Amess.
The MP also received threats from the group Muslims Against Crusades, including a threat to 'come and stab me,' and found mock Molotov cocktails on his office steps. An arson attack in December was described as 'the final straw.'
Freer, known for his pro-Israel views and representing a constituency with a high Jewish population, linked the intimidation to antisemitism. He said: 'There comes a point when the threats to your personal safety become too much.'
Freer won his seat with a majority of 6,600 in 2019. He joins several other MPs who have announced they will not contest the next election, expected later this year.
