Forum Topic

"No majority in Parliament for a no-deal Brexit" produces vicious abuse

"Conservative MP Dame Caroline Spelman says she intends to stand down at the next election after months of abuse and death threats over Brexit.The 61-year-old MP for Meriden said the "intensity of abuse arising out of Brexit" had crystallised her decision.She said the worst abuse had come since moving an amendment earlier this year to demonstrate there was no majority in Parliament for a no-deal Brexit."I have never experienced anything like the last few years," she said.Ms Spelman, an MP for 22 years whose constituency sits in between Birmingham and Coventry, said: "Myself, my family and my staff have borne an enormous brunt of abuse and I think quite frankly we've had enough."The anonymity the internet affords allows people to say things which if they said it to your face or they wrote it down, would not be legal."" (BBC)

David Ainsworth ● 2623d12 Comments

“The anonymity the internet affords allows people to say things which if they said it to your face or they wrote it down, would not be legal."The nub of my problem with the runaway prolixity of social media.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2623d

I agree and too a lesser extent obviously it's happening on his forum. It's one thing to criticise or even verbally attack a politician in the third person but quite another to order another poster say to 'get a grip' etc because your view differs from theirs. This kind of direct personal attack discourages new people to post on the forum.

Jane Carter ● 2623d

Sorry 'This' forum

Jane Carter ● 2623d

Jane many of Richard’s posts go beyond “get a grip”. His latest post today touched on Boris’ demise as a choice, that’s personal in the extreme.  Richard is highly unlikely l think to express himself in this way face to face The sneering passive aggressive tone on this forum has turned it in to a bad advert for Putney.What must a casual reader think.

Robert Wheeler ● 2623d

You have completely missed the point. I was criticising the direct personal attacks, written in the second person I.e.'you' of other posters on the forum. This was in response to David's post re direct death threats made to Caroline Spelman and Jonathan's re dangers of anonymity of social media. No I am not saying that anything like this has appeared on this forum. I think Johnson has greater worries than Putney SW15. His attacks on Corbyn - and no II am not a Corbyn fan - are very personal

Jane Carter ● 2623d

I totally back Boris in his brave attempt to put this all behind us. There is unending scope for trade agreements to be made once we are out.  I truly wish for a General Election, which I'm sure he will win as pretty much everyone is so fed up with all this nonsense.This whole thing (exacerbated by the press) needs to be stopped before the UK falls into a black hole and worldwide ridicule.  How disgraceful are the people in Parliament, who are only interested in being current and 'woke', what the hell is happening to this country.

Bunny Payne ● 2623d

I think you'll find thats parliamentary democracy in action.

Matt Palmer ● 2623d

I hate to tell you Bunny but we are already considered a joke in other countries.As for our Parliamentarians being 'woke' - what do you mean?

Lucille Grant ● 2623d

"As for our Parliamentarians being 'woke' - what do you mean?"That does look like a strange response from Bunny. Apparently, on Google, the definition of "woke" is "alert to injustice in society". It seems a reasonable thing to be, but Bunny seems concerned that MPs are just pretending to be like this, in order to be fashionable or "current" as she puts it. I don't know how she knows this.

David Ainsworth ● 2623d

Thanks for the explanation David.

Lucille Grant ● 2623d

Meanwhile, as reported in The Times, Johnson has resorted to primary-school level in attacking Corbyn. But at least it's merely silly, unlike much of the vicious abuse and, ludicrously, death threats being heaped on women MPs in particular.

Richard Carter ● 2622d

Here's a link to the article in The Times (paywall warning): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-cameron-is-a-girly-swot-says-boris-johnson-in-leaked-note-3bsq9dzlp

Richard Carter ● 2622d