EVERY SATURDAY

matter is that such threats are becoming the norm.

As Ms Abbott said: “When I was a new MP if you want to send racist abuse you wrote a letter, in green ink usually, and you got maybe one or two of those letters a week. Now you can press a button and threaten to rape somebody.” The more some of these guys see this stuff online, the more they feel encouraged and emboldened.

Former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe misread the situation when she urged her former Labour sparring partner to grow up. Unless Facebook and Twitter ban people sending such insensitive posts, and the criminal justice systems starts making an example of the worst perpetrators, I fear for the future of politics at a time when there’s already a shortage of willing and able people from all walks of life willing to serve the public.

Would you if this is how you’re thanked?

TALKING OF protecting public servants, Halifax MP and policeman’s daughter