A judge in Britain has sentenced an alleged member of a banned British neo-Nazi group to life in prison for planning to murder a U.K. lawmaker.

Jack Renshaw had pleaded guilty to buying a machete and intending to kill Labour Party lawmaker Rosie Cooper and threatening to slay a police officer.

High Court Judge Maura McGowan told Renshaw on Friday "this is a case in which only a sentence of life imprisonment can meet the appalling seriousness of your offending."

Cooper said she hopes this is the last time a politician is threatened.

She says "I believe today justice has been served. Not for me personally, but for every MP (member of parliament) and public servant, and for our democratic way of life which affords us the privilege of free speech, without fear of violent retribution."