Having death threats from an ex-IRA man was tough, says Kemi - as she calls for crackdown on threats to MPs

Published: 01:48 BST, 5 October 2026 | Updated: 01:59 BST, 5 October 2026

Kemi Badenoch called for a 'crackdown' on threats against politicians as she spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about receiving death threats from a former IRA member.

The Conservative leader said getting threats was 'really tough, but you just have to get on with it' after the ex paramilitary man said she would be left in 'a ditch with a bullet in her head'.

Kieran Kyle, 43, last month admitted two counts of sending communication of an indecent or offensive nature to Mrs Badenoch and her family.

It came as Katie Amess – the daughter of Conservative MP Sir David Amess who was murdered by an Islamic State supporter known to Prevent in 2021 – said MPs were still at risk.

Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said: 'A man, an ex-IRA member, has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill me and he was sending messages not just to me, but also to my family members.

'I just think that whether it's Nigel Farage or even Keir Starmer who had his home firebombed, that there is a threat to politicians that is increasing and we just need to crack down on this.'

She told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'MPs have often been threatened in this way, but we must not let that stop us from doing our jobs.'

Westminster magistrates heard Kyle wrote to the Tory leader: 'When I was in the IRA I would have shot you f****** dead.' He also sent an email to Mrs Badenoch's husband Hamish which used racist references. Kyle will be sentenced on October 29.

Kemi Badenoch called for a 'crackdown' on threats against politicians as she spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about receiving death threats from a former IRA member. Pictured: Ms Badenoch waves to the crowd after making her opening speech at the Tory party conference

Kieran Kyle, 43, last month admitted two counts of sending communication of an indecent or offensive nature to Mrs Badenoch and her family - including threats she would be left in 'a ditch with a bullet in her head'

Asked how she coped with threats, Mrs Badenoch stressed she was 'not going to be put off politics', saying: 'It's really tough, but you just have to get on with it.'

Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood revealed last night that abuse she received ahead of the last election made her question her future in politics.

The Home Secretary said that when her father was receiving 'hardcore abuse' while campaigning for her in 2024 police were called but 'nothing happened'.

'In the last campaign, there was just a desire on the part of my opponents to essentially make it impossible for me to move around Birmingham,' Ms Mahmood told The Rest Is Politics.

She added: 'But actually what really made me think I'm not sure about politics any more momentarily was my dad being abused on the streets of Birmingham for being out campaigning, calling the police, and nothing happening.'

It comes after the man accused of murdering Ann Widdecombe was charged on Friday with preparing acts of terror against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Joshua Kerry, 28, was charged in July with the murder of Ms Widdecombe, 78, a former Tory minister and Reform spokesman.

And in June two Ukrainian men were jailed for conspiring to carry out arson attacks on behalf of Russia on a property and car owned by then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Meanwhile, ahead of the five-year anniversary of her father's murder, Ms Amess said: 'Unfortunately, I don't know if anything has changed because this happened to Aunt Ann [Widdecombe] in July, my dad was murdered five years ago, so if so much has changed, why are we still seeing other MPs or former MPs being targeted like this?'