An MP has said he received a death threat hours after being named in a story about Remain MPs’ supposed communication with foreign governments.
Dominic Grieve was one of several MPs named as part of a No10 probe into whether Remain-backers had talked to EU politicians about how to delay Brexit.
Mr Grieve, one of 21 MPs who lost the Tory whip for trying to rule out no-deal Brexit, last night told ITV the death threat was an “immediate consequence” of him being named.
He told Bloomberg News: “I have not colluded. We did it off our own bat. And what’s more, talking to the EU is not a criminal offense, so it’s a double lie from No 10.
“It’s like living a totalitarian state. The death threats have been coming in. I’ve had one on the train up to Manchester this afternoon.
“This is quite a regular correspondent.
(Image: WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/REX)
“He e-mails to tell me I’m wrong quite often but this afternoon he told me I should be killed.
“It will go to the police tomorrow.”
It comes after Boris Johnson was branded “totalitarian” for probing MPs’ “foreign links” over Brexit.
Number 10 launched an investigation after they reportedly received intelligence that MPs including former Cabinet Minister Oliver Letwin, had been given help drafting the Benn Act from members of the French Government and the European Union.
The Act forces the Prime Minister to ask for a three-month delay to the Brexit date – if there’s no agreement by October 19, straight after an EU summit.
Those involved with drafting the bill – which the PM has branded the Surrender Act – deny that they had any help from the EU or other governments.
Former justice secretary David Gauke accused Number 10 of “disproportionate language” in suggesting they had “colluded” with foreign countries.
“No it’s not true and I think here is a very good example of a Number 10 briefing, using the word collusion, a very loaded word in itself collusion, providing no evidence, that there was anything supporting this statement, that there was help with the drafting coming from foreign countries.
“It’s not true but, even if it were true, the use of language of that sort is completely disproportionate, completely over the top and feeds into this narrative that anyone who doesn’t agree with Number 10’s position is somehow unpatriotic or betraying the country, or an enemy or wanting the country to surrender.
“This is the sort of language that I think a lot of people are concerned about because it is questioning the motive of people who are just trying to do the best for this country.”
Mr Grieve earlier dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous”, adding: “The tone of these statements comes across like the propaganda of a totalitarian state.”
