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Police have arrested a man on suspicion of sending a death threat to Labor MP Chris Bryant.

The MP, who represents the Welsh constituency in Ronda, said the level of vitriol was higher than he had known for 20 years in Parliament.

“I got off a flight from Qatar, where David Amis was also a stranger – we’ve been looking at what happens to refugees from Afghanistan all passing through Doha,” he told the Palestinian News Agency.

“I came back on Saturday and the first message in my inbox was the death threat, that’s pretty obvious, so I reported it to the police and they took action.”

Bryant said lawmakers have been subjected to a “continuous stream of appalling abuse” in recent years.

“It’s very annoying. It’s sour more now than I’ve known 20 years ago,” he said.

“Some of the political debates have been really fierce and sharp, especially around Brexit – although this has nothing to do with Brexit per se – and in that regard, anti-vaccination and so forth.”

He added that his constituency office in Ronda had been targeted last year by an “angry mob” of anti-vaccine protesters, and the year before it had been smeared with the word “traitor” over Brexit.

The former minister said he questioned “all the time” whether it was worth continuing as a member of parliament but stressed he felt the need to campaign on issues including tackling poverty and climate change.

“I hate poverty and inequality and I want to change the world,” he said.

“I think we can tackle climate change, and I think we can save people’s lives from starvation and disease. This is something worth dedicating a life to.”

Despite tighter security in Westminster, Bryant said MPs should be part of their communities in the constituencies they represent, and said: “I don’t think you can change that.”

“I have had my surgeries by appointment for some time now and we are taking all reasonable measures advised by the police.”

Chris Bryant speaks during Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee session in September 2021. Photo: PRU/AFP/Getty Images

A South Wales Police spokeswoman said: “South Wales Police were called around 4:30pm on Saturday 16 October following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59-year-old man from Porth.

“A 76-year-old man from Pontycmer, Bridgend, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications.”

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