Vile abuse targeted at rebel Labour MPs
They courageously defied threats of expulsion and deselection from the Labour Party to back Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.
But it’s not surprising that, in a party mired by allegations of anti-Semitism and bullying by Momentum thugs, the 19 Labour MPs have been subjected to a torrent of vile abuse.
even though most represent Leave-voting constituencies, they have been castigated on social media as ‘vermin’, ‘drug addicts’ and ‘ sex pests’. For good measure, trolls have also lambasted their constituents as ‘racist scumbags’ for voting to quit the EU.
Among the targets are women and a 72- year-old former coal miner and ex- official of the National Union of Mineworkers.
LISA NANDY, 40, MP for Wigan ( which voted 64 per cent for Leave), has endured a barrage of abuse for months.
But after voting with the Government on Tuesday she received messages such as: ‘ you should have your fat a*** kicked out of the party. I don’t know how anyone could walk past you without holding their nose. I hope you rot in hell.’ She made this despicable message public as well as one which read: ‘your utter, selfish, ignorance has just LOST Labour any chance of winning an election.’
EMMA LEWELL-BUCK, 40, a former child protection social worker, said: ‘ Remainers and Leavers, not for the first time, are calling me a traitor.’
In response, the MP for South Shields (62 per cent Leave) was told by one troll: ‘Traitor is a bit harsh. you might just be really f****** stupid.’ Another anonymous critic went even further, saying: ‘I’ll get my violin. you think that crying about being called a backstabbing Tory traitor actually equate to f****** this country over by saving the Tories and their Brexit. you should be dragged out of the Labour Party and thrown into the gutter where you belong.’
SIR KEVIN BARRON, 72, a former yorkshire miner and ex-union official, is standing down in Rother Valley (67 per cent Leave) at the next election. he was told: ‘Surely there’s a special place in hell for the likes of you to rot?’
STEPHANIE PEACOCK, 32, MP in Barnsley (68 per cent Leave), was told: ‘you’ve just voted in concert with the most destructive rightwing government in our history. you have just spat in the faces of my Polish neighbours. you must be so proud that you have supported the most divisive, nasty and antiworkers government since Margaret Thatcher. Shame on you.’ Twitter trolls have made
JOHN MANN, the 59-year-old MP for Bassetlaw (68 per cent Leave), one of their main targets for years because of his persistent criticism of Jeremy Corbyn. he said the abuse he had received in the past 48 hours was the worst yet.
he is due to be elevated to the house of Lords after the next election as the Government’s antiSemitism tsar.
Insults included: ‘your constituents are mainly racist scumbags.’ Others suggested: ‘you must have sex scandals to hide’ ... ‘you get a horrible debilitating illness’ ... ‘how can that piece of s*** John Mann look at himself in the mirror?’ ... ‘he stands for nothing.’ ... ‘The last “f*** you” to Labour from that t*** John Mann before he slithers off to the house of Lords. he is a disgusting snake with no morals.’
MELANIE ONN, 40, MP for Great Grimsby (71 per cent Leave) was attacked online by a nameless woman screaming on film: ‘F*** you!’
There was so much anti-Semitic abuse aimed at RUTH SMEETH, which she says has come from fellow Labour members, she has changed her Twitter handle to try to avoid it. The 40-year- old who represents Stoke on Trent North (72 per cent Leave), was called ‘moronic’, a ‘thick bint’ and that she voted for something she ‘had not even understood... why don’t you go the whole hog and join the Tories? May you rot in hell.’
Similar treatment was meted out to GARETH SNELL, in neighbouring Stoke on Trent Central (65 per cent Leave). ‘Why don’t you f*** off now and join Ukip you w*****,’ was typical of the messages. Another troll wrote: ‘you are excrement and don’t deserve any place in our party. you disgust me. you are pure, treacherous vermin.’
CAROLINE FLINT, 58, MP for Don
Valley (68 per cent Leave) was deluged with abuse. One said: ‘ Are you smoking crack?’ Others said she was ‘ doomed’, ‘either a bit thick or just plain nasty – but you will have blood on your hands’. Or tartly: ‘ Resign from the Labour Party and join the Tories where you belong.’
Miss Flint refused to be fazed, saying: ‘I wasn’t elected to Parliament to bow to threats and intimidation. I won’t now.’
KATE HOEY, 73, who represents Vauxhall (77 per cent Remain), was called ‘a snake in the swamp’ – which was one of the more printable comments.
Amid such vitriol, no wonder Mrs Lewell-Buck despairs that ‘the art of compromise left our country’s psyche a long time ago’.