Iain Duncan Smith reveals chilling death threat days after killing of Sir David Amess

18 October 2021, 15:12 | Updated: 18 October 2021, 15:33

By Charlotte Lynch

@charlotterlynch

Former Conservative party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith was the target of a death threat just days after his friend and colleague Sir David Amess was stabbed and killed, LBC can reveal.

The MP for Chingford and Woodford Green was sent an envelope marked SMITH which included the newspaper headline "murder of Tory MP was terror attack".

A handwritten note reading "LIKE YOU TWO FACED BARSTED" was enclosed with it.

The envelope appeared to have been posted through the door of his constituency office in Chingford, and staff discovered it on Monday morning.

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It has been handed over to police.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "Police were called at 12:54hrs on Monday, 18 October following a report of malicious communications at an office in Station Road, Chingford.

"Officers attended.There have been no arrests; enquiries continue."

Earlier this month, five people were arrested after Sir Iain was allegedly attacked at the Conservative party conference in Manchester.

The former Tory leader said he was struck by a traffic cone after he was followed by a group calling him “Tory scum”.

Sir David Amess was stabbed multiple times during a meeting with his constituents in leigh-on-Sea in Essex on Friday.

A 25-year-old man, understood to be called Ali Harbi Ali, is being held under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of the 69-year-old's murder.

Charlotte Lynch confirms IDS has received death threat

It is thought the suspect is a British national with Somali heritage.

Scotland Yard said the early investigation revealed a "potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism".

Sir David Amess' killing has prompted the Home Secretary to consider strengthening security for MPs.

Priti Patel said police protection for MPs at constituency meetings is among the options being considered in the wake of Sir David's death, which came little more than five years after the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox, was murdered on her way to a constituency surgery.

She said a "whole spectrum" of measures was being considered to address safety concerns in the wake of the killing.