Tory MP sent homophobic death threat receives outpouring of support from ‘across the political divide’
Gay Tory MP Elliot Colburn (right) with fiancé Jed Dwight (left). (Instagram/ elliotcolburn)
Tory MP Elliot Colburn has revealed he was sent a homophobic letter threatening to kill him and his boyfriend.
Colburn, 28, is the MP for Carshalton and Wallington, and won his seat in 2019, making him one of the country’s youngest parliamentarians.
He is engaged to Jed Dwight, a councillor on Sutton Council and editor of the poultry and waterfowl magazine Fancy Fowl.
Last week, Colburn shared a photo on Twitter of a letter sent to his office, which read: “‘F**king Tory scum. You and your fag boyfriend should watch your backs.
“Enjoy your time you smug p***k you ain’t got many left. Rar coming for you.”
Colburn wrote: “Sounds like a charming individual.
“I will not let threats to me or my family stop me standing up for Carshalton and Wallington.
“The police have been informed.”
Sounds like a charming individual.
I will not let threats to me or my family stop me standing up for Carshalton and Wallington.
The police have been informed. pic.twitter.com/GI8GuNpr3y
— Elliot Colburn MP (@ElliotColburn) April 8, 2021
Colburn told MyLondon: “The concerning thing about it was it is targeting another member of my family. Jed is involved in politics as well so he knows what life is like, he doesn’t take anything to heart.
“It is never a nice thing to get and it does sometimes play on your mind.
“I didn’t expect to have the homophobic element, thankfully it isn’t something I’ve had regularly which is a sign of the time, I represent a tolerant constituency.”
Fellow MPs from across the political spectrum took to social media to offer support to the couple.
Conor Burns, another openly gay Tory MP, wrote: “Dreadful. I get them occasionally. Always strikes me how much more work there is to do to teach punctuation in schools!”
Welsh Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones responded: “Elliot, I am so sorry you’ve received this!
“Sending you and your family love and solidarity from across the political divide.”
Labour and co-op MP Luke Pollard, who is also the shadow environment secretary, said: “Sorry to see this Elliot. Solidarity to you and your partner.”
PinkNews has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.
