Corbyn rival Eagle was a victim of toxic abuse
ANGELA Eagle was subjected to a barrage of ‘toxic’ homophobic abuse from Labour members after challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership, an internal investigation found yesterday.
Former shadow business secretary Miss Eagle also had a brick thrown through her office window on Merseyside within days of launching her bid in July.
The findings will fuel concerns about misogyny, anti-Semitism and homophobia among some supporters of Mr Corbyn.
In a letter to the Labour leader in July, 45 female Labour MPs urged him to act to stop the intimidation being conducted ‘in your name’.
The signatories, who included ten former shadow cabinet ministers, condemned Mr Corbyn for his ‘inadannounced equate’ response to ‘rape threats, death threats, smashed cars and bricks through windows’.
Some supporters of Mr Corbyn had accused the Wallasey MP of exaggerating the level of abuse she faced.
But an investigation by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) found Miss Eagle, who is openly gay, was sent ‘many hundreds of abusive, homophobic and frightening messages’ by Labour members, while her office endured ‘abusive and intimidating’ phone calls.
The report, leaked to the Liverpool Echo, found it was ‘highly likely’ that the brick attack on her offices was linked to her leadership bid.
It described a ‘toxic’ culture in the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party, which left some too afraid to take part in its proceedings, amid claims of a takeover by supporters of Mr Corbyn. It is believed even before she that she was challenging Mr Corbyn for the leadership she was subjected to homophobic abuse at the constituency party’s AGM.
In an apparent bid to distance himself from the abuse, Mr Corbyn took the unusual step of attending the NEC disciplinary sub-committee that agreed the report.
In a statement yesterday, Miss Eagle said: ‘It is now accepted by the NEC that homophobic abuse was perpetrated by some members of the local party. I have the backing of both Jeremy and union leaders when I say that there is no place for it in the Labour movement.’
It is understood the Wallasey CLP will remain suspended until a review next spring and that local activists could face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, a man was yesterday given an eight-week jail sentence suspended for two years at Wirral Magistrates Court after sending a death threat to Miss Eagle in July.
Steven King, 45, of Paisley, admitted sending a grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message. King told police he sent the email to ‘let off steam’ over Miss Eagle’s leadership bid. The court heard he ‘would never have acted on those threats’.
‘Frightening messages’