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Original poster

Call to support women MPs in face of abuse and death threats to family

113 replies

DarkAtEndOfUk · 25/09/2019 22:35

Could I ask people on this board tonight to look in at the Westministenders threads on the Brexit boards, regarding the death threats as the op states. Jo Swinson's child has been threatened, Anna Soubry's mother has been threatened. We have a Prime minister who is using inflammatory language appearing to support and enable such threats. Women need to stand together against this upsurge of threats against our representatives.

I don't often start threads on Mumsnet and I don't think I'll be able to keep a close eye on this one, but the current events in Parliament are truly shocking me. The Prime Minister today, after that use of language, openly stated that he would not abide by legislation passed by the House of Commons.
Current Westministenders thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3700707-Westministenders-The-Non-Re-Opening-Of-Parliament?watched=1&msgid=90352104#90352104

OP posts:
Helmetbymidnight · 26/09/2019 17:52

good. what an arsehole- absolutely indefensible behaviour from a pm.

absolutely divisive and dismissive.

Birdsfoottrefoil · 26/09/2019 17:50

I don’t defend Boris.

Helmetbymidnight · 26/09/2019 17:43

i cant see how anyone can defend boris on this. genuinely, dont get it.

Birdsfoottrefoil · 26/09/2019 17:40

And today there has been an incident at Jess Phillip's office. A man trying to gain entry. Why is it always men?

Funny that that person was (rightly) arrested but when a bunch of labour activists including a labour councillor, incited a mob to bang on the windows of a women’s meeting, yelling, intimidating the occupants and residents above, for the duration of the meeting, the police stood by.

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 16:27

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GenderApostate19 · 26/09/2019 16:07

I know Ruth Smeeth, she’s involved in our local armed forces charity, she had to have police protection when in London due to constant death threats.

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 15:33

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Myriade · 26/09/2019 15:13

In very practical terms, what can we do to support those women??

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 15:08

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Original poster
DarkAtEndOfUk · 26/09/2019 14:56

You seem to be trying to re-direct attention away from one sort of hate by pointing out another. Neither kind of hate, when it starts to have practical effects, is acceptable. Death threats are death threats, abuse is abuse.

We communicate using language. We organise the world around us using language. We recreate the world around us using language and interacting together. It makes a huge difference whether we say 'I disagree with the court judgement' or 'the court judges are enemies of the people'. Quite who 'the people' are I'm not entirely sure, I know a few representatives of the 65 million in this country and they are all quite different, but that's another story.

OP posts:
smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 14:45

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TheElementsSong · 26/09/2019 14:42

You people ? Who are they?

Have some respect, please. The squirrel pointer is, remember, a master of accurate wordsmithery, seeing as they're a lawyer and all, with greater expertise than the Supreme Court.

ArnoldWhatshisknickers · 26/09/2019 14:37

So you are OK with the Prime Minister using the political rhetoric of 'surrender' which has actually been used as a dog whistle for real life political violence and led to the deaths of thousands right here in the UK within living memory (and which continues to do so on occasion)?

You may think that's an appropriate was for a Prime Minister to behave. I do not.

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 14:35

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LloydBraun · 26/09/2019 14:32

No, you’re quite right, using the word surrender absolutely is equivalent to failing to do anything to protect your own MPs for years.
You people don’t need my help to make yourselves look ridiculous.
Carry on. It amuses me.

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 14:31

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TheElementsSong · 26/09/2019 14:30

"Look over there! Squirrels!"

LloydBraun · 26/09/2019 14:24

I assume you’re also active in support of Luciana Berger and Laura Kuensberg, Louise ellman and others in the face of threats from labour fanatics OP?
What with you being so supportive of women and all

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 26/09/2019 14:21

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Original poster
DarkAtEndOfUk · 26/09/2019 13:25

No, the word 'surrender' immediately makes me think of war. To my way of thinking this country has almost been in a state of 'cold war' against its own citizens, the poorer and disadvantaged groups - whoever they are, there are lots of ways of being poorer or disadvantaged just as much as of being rich or advantaged, the EU can be called disadvantaged in the British press - for many years. This kind of language from the top leads me to believe that they really do want an open war.

OP posts:
Grimbles · 26/09/2019 12:56

Is "But Corbyn though" the new NAMALT?

ArnoldWhatshisknickers · 26/09/2019 11:36

I can’t see how any faction can possibly think the word “surrender” is particularly comment-worthy, let alone the overriding issue du jour.

I hear the word 'surrender' in such a politicised context and immediately think of terrorist organisations and political violence. 'No surrender' is very much a thing amongst the loyalist/protestant side of the sectarian divide.

I guess those who don't live with the consequences of sectarian division are probably less sensitive to what is, to me, an obvious dog whistle.

AlunWynsKnee · 26/09/2019 10:35

I saw it last night and I was surprised that he dismissed the points about threats to his colleagues as 'humbug'.

Original poster
DarkAtEndOfUk · 26/09/2019 10:19

I hope @thecatfromjapan doesn't mind me quoting this from the Brexit threads:

If you have a Conservative MP, write to them. Call out the part of them that recognises the threat Johndon represents. Call on their humanity and morality. Tell them you see it, tell them you see the distance between them and Johnson, tell them they have support. Give them the strength and the reason to resist.
There's a wonderful example letter from @wheresmymojo on there too.

It would be a good idea to email women MPs of any party with supportive emails too.

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Original poster
DarkAtEndOfUk · 26/09/2019 10:08

These same men who appear to actually want the fight, the ones who make the threats, are exactly the same men who also want women to get out of the way, except when they want their victory fucks.

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