Labour's Rosie Duffield reveals she spent £2,000 on bodyguards in a week while campaigning for the general election after receiving death threats

Outspoken Labour candidate Rosie Duffield has been forced to spend £2,000 on bodyguards while campaigning for the general election due to a lack of security given to politicians.

Ms Duffield, who has represented Canterbury since 2017, said her level of risk was considered 'one of the highest' among lawmakers. 

She also admitted biting her tongue during some debates in parliament due to online threats.

Last week, a man had been given a suspended court sentence for sending both her and JK Rowling - who both share gender-critical views - a death threat.

The candidate spent the money in the first week of the campaign, and claimed some colleagues have also had to hire bodyguards out of their own pocket.

Ms Duffield told The Times: 'Here we are, in the general election, and there is no email or clear advice to women MPs about 'this is what you have to do about your security budget'.

'So I just paid a couple of thousand pounds for my security and I have had to have a close protection officer. 

'Parliament, normally, pays for our security separately but because we're in an election period, no one had prepared for that. We didn't really know what we were doing.

'We're also having to tell all of the venues that are holding hustings that, actually, we have these security concerns — and I feel like a diva even doing it. It's embarrassing.'

In February three female MPs were given bodyguards and chauffeur-driven cars after concerns about their safety. 

This election represents the first time that all general election candidates were offered basic security during the campaign.

But the offer only goes so far as to include guidance, briefings and cyber security services.

Glenn Mullen was this month given an eight-week suspended sentence for sending JK Rowling an audio message in which he said he was going to kill the Harry Potter author 'with a big hammer'. He also threatened to turn a 'big gun' on Ms Duffield.

'When you've just had someone with a death threat sentenced, and you're having to think about your security everywhere that you go, I'm not going to pretend it doesn't impact on democracy, because it does,' she added.

'It really does make you think twice about saying something. I found, to my huge annoyance, that I have curbed what I say in parliament.

'There are certain debates I will not get involved in now because I know about those reactions. It does affect democracy.'

Ms Duffield has been at odds with the Labour leadership over her views on gender. Last month complained that Sir Keir Starmer offered her 'no apology' when the two finally spoke after two-and-a-half years of getting the cold shoulder.