Naz Shah 'refuses' to 'sit and reflect' on threats after woman admits sending threats

The Labour representative for Bradford West had to call 999 and evacuated her children from the family home on April 12 after she “saw the warnings” threatening “do you want it through the window or to your head” in her email inbox.

“That was when it really hit home,” she told The Yorkshire Post, fearing that somebody may be waiting outside her home.

Sundas Alam, 30, admitted a number of charges at York Crown Court on Thursday relating to sending death threats to the Bradford West MP.

York Crown Court confirmed that Alam, of Princeville Street, Bradford, admitted three counts of sending malicious communications and one of perverting the course of justice part-way through her trial.

She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on November 29.

Having received messages in the past, Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion Ms Shah said that this incident “was the only time I’ve actually felt an immediate threat.”

“The reality is it's not the first time it's not going to be the last time”, she explained

“So you don't sit and reflect on it because you've got a job to get on with.

"And I refuse to allow it to get to me.

“My personality is such that I refuse to go down that road where I'm thinking about it.”

In August 2019, Stewart Hanson, 57, of The Woodlands, Tranmere, was jailed for 12 weeks after sending offensive emails to Ms Shah.

MPs safety has once again come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks following the death of Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess at a constituency surgery in Leigh on Sea.

The attack at Belfairs Methodist Church earlier in October came just over five years after the murder of Yorkshire MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed and shot in her Batley and Spen constituency in June 2016.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday evening that his thoughts were with Ms Shah and her family “for all that they have had to endure”.

“Nobody should have to put up with threats like this,” he said. “Sadly it’s the reality for too many in public life.”