MP Phillips talked round man who had attacked office

BIRMINGHAM Yardley MP Jess Phillips has revealed she consulted with murdered MP Jo Cox’s family before meeting with a man who attacked her constituency office.

Ms Phillips (pictured) says she rang the family of Ms Cox to affirm there has to be zero tolerance against the abuse of MPs but said she could not let this person be criminalised.

Speaking to an audience at Glastonbury, she said: “A man attacked my office because of things he read on social media that were entirely untrue about the Brexit referendum.

“He tried to kick in the door and the police had to be called. I just thought I know if I sit down with this man I will be able to have a laugh with him.

“I thought I can’t just let this person be criminalised, I could try and talk to him, so I did.

“Funnily enough the people that I asked if it was OK was Jo Cox’s family. I rang them and said I am going to do this, I know there has to be zero tolerance against the abuse of Members of Parliament but they said absolutely, it’s certainly what Jo would have done had she had the opportunity to do it. I was anxious about letting them know.”

Ms Phillips said that as expected the talk was “lovely” and he was just “a person who needed help”.

She added that since the incident in Acocks Green, in

2019, the man has moved to her constituency on purpose because “he wanted me to be his MP”.