Ashfield MP supports return of the death penalty as it has a '100 per cent success rate'

In an interview with The Spectator magazine, when asked if he would support the return of the death penalty he replied: “Nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed. You know that, don’t you? 100 per cent success rate.

“Now I’d be very careful on that one because you’ll get the certain groups saying: “You can never prove it.” Well, you can prove it if they have videoed it and are on camera – like the Lee Rigby killers. I mean: they should have gone, same week. I don’t want to pay for these people.”

He also spoke of his own experiences with crime having received "a couple of death threats” which are being investigated by the police, and an attempt at blackmail, too.

He said: “I don’t know what they’re blackmailing me over, I just passed it straight to the police.”

He also spoke to the magazine about his upbringing and his experience, saying: “There is nowhere more deprived than the street I was brought up on. All the social problems we’ve got – I’ve lived through them and helped people with them.”

Comments ‘truly disgusting’

In response to Mr Anderson’s comment Coun David Watts, Nottinghamshire Liberal Democrats crime and policing spokesman, said: “Mr Anderson’s comments are truly disgusting. The civilised world has turned its back on the death penalty because it doesn’t deter crime.

"Maybe he should read about cases like Derek Bentley, where his conviction was overturned after he’d already been hung. How many miscarriages like that is Mr Anderson willing to tolerate?

"The people of Ashfield must be deeply embarrassed to have him as their MP, and the fact Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chose this week to make him deputy chairman of the Conservative Party says all you need to know about the current Tories.”

Earlier this week, Mr Anderson was announced as the Conservative Party's new deputy chairman after Mr Sunak reshuffled his top team.

The appointment is the first role given to Mr Anderson by the Prime Minister since has was elected Ashfields MP at the 2019 general election.