Mid Norfolk election candidate speaks out over alleged shooting threat

A parliamentary candidate has spoken of his shock after alleging a man told him he would shoot him if he were successfully elected.

Steffan Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mid Norfolk, said he was campaigning in a village in his constituency when the incident occurred.

Norfolk Police confirmed Mr Aquarone had reported the incident to them, but said no formal complaint had been made.

It follows the launch of a police operation to protect candidates from abuse, after the 2016 murder of MP Jo Cox. This includes warnings not to canvass after dark.

Mr Aquarone said he was out knocking on doors and visiting businesses in the constituency, previously held by then-Conservative MP George Freeman, on November 20.

He said the man "stopped what he was doing and stood up and looked at me and said 'well, I think all politicians should be lined up and shot.'"

The candidate said: "I don't take aggressive behaviour seriously.

"I told him 'I don't agree with you, but I have some sympathy with your frustrations and that's why I'm standing. I'm not actually one of them yet'."

He alleged the man said in response: "'If you were, I would shoot you'."

Mr Aquarone added: "When he said that he was very serious looking, and I felt uncomfortable and left.

"I was quite upset. It went from generally aggressive to personal. It's not a moral question, it's a criminal offence. It is shocking."

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: "We were in contact with the candidate but no formal complaint has been made."

Mr Aquarone said police had a "very clear policy for threats to politicians" but he had declined to pursue the matter further.

"The tragic murder of Jo Cox is the ultimate crime," he added.

"There is a slippery slope in what society accepts as okay. What I'd really like to do is give him a chance to apologise."

The man who spoke to Mr Aquarone, who did not want to give his name, said the conversation was a private matter.

"He just asked me my opinion of the situation," he said. "I just said you're all messing this country up and I don't like what you're doing. He asked me a question and I gave him an answer."

Mr Aquarone is running against Mr Freeman (Conservative), Adrian Heald (Labour) and PJ O'Gorman (Independent).