BULLIES FORCE FEMALE MPS TO HIRE MINDERS
Brexit death threats
WOMEN MPs have been forced to move house and hire bodyguards over Brexit, a top politician claims.
Labour’s ex-deputy leader Harriet Harman says some have even changed their votes in crucial debates after being targeted by extremists.
Police have reportedly told one female MP not to travel alone at night while another has been urged to avoid running in her local park. A third received advice not to drive on her own.
Some of those who say they are being abused feel the police are not taking their complaints seriously.
Ms Harman, 68, said:
“The police have seen it as their job to protect the threatener rather than the threatened in the name of free speech.”
In 2016, police carried out a review of security for
MPs after Labour politician
Jo Cox was murdered in the street by an extremist.
They set up a special task force dedicated to protecting politicians in and around Westminster.
Last month, MP Anna
Soubry was called a Nazi outside Parliament. There were calls for the activists to be prosecuted and police said they would look at the footage to see “if any crimes had been committed”.
Last week Michael Robbins was prosecuted for threatening to kill the proEurope Tory politician.
And a man was arrested after making death threats against Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP who, like Miss Soubry, aims to stop Brexit.
He is alleged to have said: “Please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids.”