The Welsh MPs who received the most hostile messages on Twitter
NEW research exposes the scale of the hostile messages sent on Twitter to MPs.
Men and women from across the party spectrum have had to put up with online attacks.
The findings will only intensify concern that talented men and women are put off entering politics because of the likelihood they will be the targets for anonymous abuse.
Twitter allows people to assume an anonymous identity and send public messages to other users.
Researchers at the University of Central Lancashire stored 681,084 messages sent to 565 MPs sent between December 22 and May 9. Special “machine learning” software categorised these messages as “positive”, “neutral”, “disagree”, or “hostile”. Here are the 10 Welsh MPs who received the highest percentage of hostile messages: 1. Mark Williams (Lib Dem, Ceredigion): 15.7% 2. James Davies (Conservative, Vale of Clwyd): 12.6% 3. Madeleine Moon (Labour, Bridgend): 12.2% 4. Gerald Jones (Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney): 12.1% 5. Wayne David (Labour, Caerphilly): 11.2% 6. Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid, Dwyfor Meirionnydd): 10.5% 7. Alun Cairns (Conservative, Vale of Glamorgan): 10.44% 8. Paul Flynn (Labour, Newport West): 10.42% 9. Ian Lucas (Labour, Wrexham): 10.3% 10. Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Wrexham): 9.9%
Ceredigion’s Mr Williams topped the poll but this was based on a small number of messages – just 25. The results are very different when the total number of hostile messages is ranked. Here are the 10 Welsh MPs who received the most hostile messages: 1. Chris Bryant (Labour, Rhondda): 389 2. Owen Smith (Labour, Pontypridd): 363 3. David TC Davies (Conservative, Monmouth): 175 4. Paul Flynn (Labour, Newport West): 147 5. Stephen Kinnock (Labour, Aberavon): 75 6. Jo Stevens (Labour, Cardiff Central): 53 7. Ian Lucas (Labour, Wrexham): 51 8. Jonathan Edwards (Plaid, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): 50 9. Stephen Doughty (Labour, Cardiff South and Penarth): 48 10. Carolyn Harris (Labour, Swansea East): 47
Mr Bryant’s position may well reflect his large number of “followers” on Twitter, which today stands at more than 51,200. Former Labour leadership contender Mr Smith has nearly 47,000.
Other MPs received many negative messages which were not categorised as “hostile”. Here are the 10 Welsh MPs who had the highest share of negative but not hostile messages: 1. David Jones (Conservative, Clwyd West): 19.5% 2. Owen Smith (Labour, Pontypridd): 17.6% 3. Ian Lucas (Labour, Wrexham): 17.1% 4. Jo Stevens (Labour, Cardiff Central): 16.2% 5. Geraint Davies (Labour, Swansea West): 15.9% 6. Paul Flynn (Labour, Newport West): 15.5% 7. Craig Williams (Conservative, Cardiff North): 14.9% 8. Nick Smith (Labour, Blaenau Gwent): 14.8% 9. Christina Rees (Labour, Neath): 14.7% 10. Chris Bryant (Labour, Rhondda): 14.6%
The situation is much worse in Scotland.
The study by Dr Martin Bateman, senior lecturer in computing, and Amy Binns, senior lecturer in journalism, found Scottish MPs of all parties were more likely to face high levels of hostility and negativity on Twitter than their colleagues.
Four of the 10 MPs receiving the most hostile Tweets were Scottish.
The researchers reported that “Scotland’s only Labour and Conservative MPs, Ian Murray and David Mundell, face recurring bouts of extreme hostility on Twitter”.
Hostile tweets were also sent to SNP MPs Mhairi Black and Callum McCaig.
Tim Loughton, who was Conservative MP for East Worthing, faced the highest number of hostile messages. These spiked after he attended the Baftas and criticised left-wing filmmaker Ken Loach’s speech as “drivel”.
Labour’s Chi Onwurah, who is standing again in Newcastle Central, came second. She stirred controversy after she Tweeted about Prince Philip’s financial security upon retirement and made a reference to women with reduced pensions. The university’s Ms Binns said: “The hostility aimed at the Scottish MPs appears to be of a different type to hostile Tweets experienced by MPs in the rest of the UK. It is a more regular feature of their Twitter streams.
“It comes in recurring waves, though it is linked to events such as the triggering of Article 50. There seems to be more invective aimed at the Conservative Mr Mundell than the Labour MP Mr Murray.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn received the most messages. Of the 110,378 Tweets sent to him, 10.7% were hostile and 26.5% ranked as negative.
Theresa May had 75,219 Tweets sent to her; 10.3% were hostile and 25.8% were negative.
Paul Flynn, who has represented Newport West since 1987, has nearly 19,100 followers and remains a fan of Twitter.
He said he was not put off by hostile messages.
He added: “If somebody is abusive or uses bad language I block them but it’s not a problem.”