Former Ukip politician Janice Atkinson has called for the death penalty… for suicide bombers (Picture: PA)

A former Ukip politician has demanded the death penalty be introduced – for suicide bombers.

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Janice Atkinson, who stood for Ukip in Folkstone and Hythe before becoming an independent politician, made the comments following the Manchester terror attack which claimed 22 lives on Monday night.

She is currently an independent elected MEP for the South East of England.

Calling for the death penalty, Atkinson said: ‘Much needs to be done to eradicate this evil.


‘But there is one simple step which we can take now: we must bring back the death penalty.

Nigel Farage (2L) sits with fellow ex-Ukip candidate Janice Atkinson (Picture: Getty)

‘This is the first time I have called for this. For decades I have shifted in both directions: taking any life is wrong: it’s right to execute certain types of killers, but what about miscarriages of justice?’



Atkinson, who was expelled from Ukip amid an expense scandal for which she was later cleared with no charge, added: ‘Many will argue that I’m calling for revenge killings, motivated by hatred. Others will argue that I’m inhumane, that we live in a civilised society.

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‘Then there will be those who say that the death penalty is not a deterrent, that the warped perpetrators want in any case to die.’

‘I’m not wringing my hands trying to find answers, I’m a politician, it’s my job to come up with answers.

‘Today, we should announce that the death penalty will be brought back for terrorist crimes,’ she said.

The Manchester bomber, named as Salman Abedi, was killed when he detonated explosives outside the Arena following an Ariana Grande concert.

A representative for Atkinson asked Metro.co.uk to make it clear that no charges were ever brought against the MEP, who had no knowledge of the activities of her assistant, Christine Hewitt who later admitted the offence at Canterbury Crown Court.

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