New Leicester MP skips Commons due to ‘potential death threat’

A new independent MP who claimed “this is for Gaza” during his winning speech has missed an aid funding announcement in Parliament because of “a potential death threat”.

Shockat Adam, MP for Leicester South, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he welcomed the government’s decision to resume funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Mr Adam said he was unable to attend the announcement “as we were dealing with a potential death threat”.

He wrote: “I welcome the government finally restoring funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after it was abruptly withdrawn by the Tories, denying Palestinians life-saving aid.”

He went on to say, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t be on the room today because I was dealing with a potential death threat.

“I would like to thank Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire Police for their professional, prompt and courteous assistance in dealing with this incident.

“Aggressive behavior towards me and my family has become commonplace, but I can assure my constituents that it will not deter me from my duties.”

Leicestershire Police have been contacted for comment. Cambridgeshire Police could not be reached for comment.

Adam won Leicester South by less than 1,000 votes, beating Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth, the former shadow secretary of state for work and pensions.

Mr Ashworth had held the seat since 2011 and was defending a majority of 22,675 as of 2019.

The Foreign Office cut funding to UNRWA in January over allegations that its staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

Mr Lammy told the Commons that the government was reassured that UNRWA was ensuring it met neutrality standards and strengthening its procedures, including verification, following an independent review.

The restoration of funding to UNRWA was one of a number of Gaza-related demands that Mr Adam and four other independent MPs, including former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, outlined in a letter to the foreign secretary on Monday.