Fay Jones, the Brecon and Radnorshire MP, has told S4C that she fears for her and her staff's safety, after receiving death threats. It comes after figures reveal that Welsh politicians are increasingly receiving abuse and threats.

Ms Jones told S4C’s Y Byd ar Bedwar that her staff have to sit behind bulletproof glass and that she once received a letter that detailed how someone would stab her in the neck.

“When we did get the death threat, it did arrive just before Christmas which wasn’t great timing because you’ve just got more time to think about these things." Ms Jones said. "He sent me a few handwritten letters, and then the final one we got about me being stabbed on the left side of my neck, and that does really stick with me because you don’t forget an image like that."

The figures from Y Byd ar Bedwar, a current affairs programme, show more than 80% of Welsh MPs and Senedd Members have felt threatened since being in office, and that a staggering 43% have received a death threat whilst on the job.

They asked every Member of the Senedd and every Member of Parliament in Wales a series of questions relating to their experience of abuse in office. 96% said they’d received a threatening or abusive message via social media, email, telephone or face-to-face. 

In June 2016, Labour MP for Batley and Spen Jo Cox was killed outside a library in Birstall, West Yorkshire. And in October 2021, Conservative MP for Southend West David Amess was killed at his constituency surgery.

Ms Jones said, “There are plenty of people who worry about their safety, even more so as a result of what happened to Jo Cox and David Amess, you know, all of us have experienced threats, all of us have."

She has taken precautions into account with her own staff. “It’s unbelievable to me that my staff have to sit behind bulletproof glass, it’s just mad.”

And in Westminster, £4.4 million was spent on the safety of MPs.

As part of the advice, Ms Jones has been advised by Parliament's security and policing teams to ensure her constituency office in Llandrindod Wells is safer, by installing plastic UPVC frames, to replace 'rotting wooden frames'.

"We've got toughened security glass. We've also got a fireproof bag, in case anybody were to push something through the door." Ms Jones explains, before detailing how her windows have been reinforced. "It's meant to withstand sustained pressure for 20 minutes, which would give my team the time to exit. It's here for a very good reason."

However, Powys County Council have halted further restoration plans, on conservation grounds.

“My concern is about keeping my staff safe,” Ms Jones said. “If we can’t have these extra measures, or security glass or the wood is weaker in any way, then ultimately the office will need to close. I want this to be an open access point for constituents, but if I can’t keep my staff secure we won’t be able to do that.

“I just find it really frustrating that we’re still having to talk about this, and we haven’t been able to find somebody in the Local Authority or Planning Inspectorate who’s gone ‘yeah we see what you’re doing, we understand why you need to do something different’.”  

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “The Planning Service attach considerable importance to the need to protect the personal safety of politicians and their staff. The Llandrindod Wells office lies within the Llandrindod Wells Conservation Area and as such, when making planning decisions, special attention needs to be given to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character and appearance of a conservation area."

Ms Jones has admitted that the abuse experienced is the worst part of her job. “I don't know how we've got to this point in public life where politicians are the lowest of the low. I mean, I know that there is an awful lot of work that politicians need to do, but we are just treated like public scum sometimes. I hate that bit of the job."

Staff at the office told S4C about the threats they have received by constituents who are unhappy. "Some are very specific. Some are very graphic about how they intend to injure you and your staff. I come to work to help people. It's not something I ever anticipated being part of my job."

The leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, Jane Dodds, has also spoken about her own experiences. "I feel safe during the day. Nighttime is a little different." She told Y Byd ar Bedwar. "The worst experience I had was when I was in a car. we were coming out from the Senedd. There were people protesting against the Covid rules. I left the car park. There were about 50-60 people. And I saw a group of them coming towards the car. they put posters on the car, banged on the car. It shouldn't have happened at all."

She detailed how things still come to her, particularly on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. In the programme, she reads out a letter that said "Off with her head. Traitor and should be locked up", as well as one tweet that said, "She should be executed."

"It happens often." Ms Dodds said.

The full programme by Y Byd ar Bedwar is available now on S4C or iPlayer.