Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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:
smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 25/09/2019 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gone2far · 25/09/2019 22:46

I dislike Johnson, but it was Sherriff who brought up Joe Cox, not him.

Birdsfoottrefoil · 25/09/2019 22:51

Jeremy Corbyn isn’t any better

DarkAtEndOfUk · 25/09/2019 22:54

The main point in this regard is that Johnson responded to Sheriff with the term 'humbug'. Corbyn has at least called for a joint statement from the House, can't find his wording now, for a moderation of language use from all parties. Bercow immediately replied that he'd be happy to work for that.

OP posts:
Fraggling · 25/09/2019 22:54

Female mps , and women in the public eye in general, get disproportionate amount of threats and they are of a different nature.

I didn't see the thing but watching newsnight. If we're going to do 'who started it' it seems that bj was saying stuff that felt like whipping up the type of sentiments that saw jo cox murdered.

PerkingFaintly · 25/09/2019 22:56

MPs' fury at Boris Johnson's 'dangerous language'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49833804

Ms Sherriff, the Labour MP for Dewsbury, told the Commons the prime minister had "continually used pejorative language to describe an Act of Parliament passed by this House".

Pointing to a plaque in the chamber, commemorating Mrs Cox, who was murdered by a right-wing extremist, she said: "We should not resort to using offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language for legislation that we do not like, and we stand here under the shield of our departed friend with many of us in this place subject to death threats and abuse every single day."

"They often quote his words 'Surrender Act', 'betrayal', 'traitor' and I for one am sick of it.

"We must moderate our language, and it has to come from the prime minister first."

In response, Mr Johnson said: "I have to say, Mr Speaker, I've never heard such humbug in all my life."

PerkingFaintly · 25/09/2019 23:02

Fraggling, he absolutely was. I couldn't bring myself to watch all of it, but his language was very scary.

DarkAtEndOfUk · 25/09/2019 23:07

The Guardian Live page has a few links to videos. www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/sep/25/boris-johnson-flies-to-uk-as-parliament-returns-after-court-ruling-politics-live

OP posts:
DarkAtEndOfUk · 25/09/2019 23:15

(relevant bits down at 9.24 pm and 9.08 pm)

OP posts:
Birdsfoottrefoil · 25/09/2019 23:18

I didn’t see the debate but the language used towards women at the Labour Party conference and the whipping up of an aggressive hate mob towards women meeting in Brighton was shocking. And from what I hear, for the most part the police stood by and let it happen.

ChattyLion · 25/09/2019 23:18

Thank you for this thread OP. This language is very disturbing from a PM.

TheMustressMhor · 25/09/2019 23:22

I am just waiting to be further surprised and shocked by whatever this PM has to throw at us.

His language about women MPs and Jo Cox in particular was beyond vile.

TottieandMarchpane · 25/09/2019 23:28

I can’t keep up with all the aspects of this.

What’s the connection between the threats made and Boris? His use of the words “humbug” and “surrender”? I’m not quite catching something here.

The campaign to report trolling/threats and not repeat or draw attention to them seemed eminently sensible to me.

AlexaShutUp · 25/09/2019 23:31

He is a disgrace. I'm so sorry for all of the MPs (and their families) on both sides of the debate who have been threatened in any way. There is no place for that in a democracy.

I knew Jo Cox at university. I was shocked by Boris's dismissive response in the House of Commons today.

He appears to have no moral compass and no conscience. That's a frightening trait in a leader. However, he seems to have tremendous popular support.

I'm deeply concerned about where our politics is heading.

TottieandMarchpane · 25/09/2019 23:35

I’ve read the BBC link and watched the video in that but I’m still confused.

Is there an article or link that lays out the whole saga from beginning to end? The connections between it all and exactly what was said?

Happy to do anything to support women MPs facing harassment but I’d like to fully understand the background.

cherin · 25/09/2019 23:37

does it make any difference if you hear abuse in multiple events? Does it make it more acceptable?
I think the point of OP is that (for those who watched) some members of the HoC today and in particular BJ was systematically choosing incendiary language, using metaphors that promote violence and dismissive of any appeal (mostly by female MPs) to moderate the tone...in respect of the real threats that they receive in their real life. The Pm gets police escort- the MPs don’t.
He really behaved like a nasty bully, the “humbug” comment made my blood boil. It’s like when you suffer sexual harassment and others shrug and say “toughen up, love, it was meant like a compliment”. No it wasn’t and you should know it. And you dismissing it makes you an accomplice.

He did it on purpose to deviate the attention. It’s not anymore on the front page as “beaten by courts” but as “Boris doubles up”. Still, it’s not fair to use verbal abuse and vitriolic language, particularly in this point in time.

cherin · 25/09/2019 23:40

tottie this is the bbc summary

MPs' fury at Boris Johnson's 'dangerous language' - BBC News
apple.news/A_GrnrCTER0-jLSkerRF0wA

cherin · 25/09/2019 23:45

In reality it went on an on for hours. On multiple occasions BJ referred to the Benn Bill as the “surrender” bill, sometimes with an ironic smirk, the language was full of reference to “traitors” and “betrayal” and “surrending to the EU”, “fight to deliver on the will of the people” etc etc. Gloria de Piero also intervened saying something along the line “you know I don’t like working with you, but I’ve joined a cross party committee, how can we work together if you keep on stoking animosity and confrontation instead of cooperation? Tune the language down”

cherin · 25/09/2019 23:47

When mrs Sheriff did her emotional plea he literally replied “mr speaker I’ve never heard such a humbug”. Typical bully behaviour.

HopeClearwater · 25/09/2019 23:48

Jeremy Corbyn isn’t any better

What? He’s a damn sight more moderate in his language, which is the point of this thread.

TottieandMarchpane · 25/09/2019 23:49

Thanks cherin. That’s the one I just read.

Maybe I’ve read too much Hansard, but “surrender” doesn’t seem particularly egregious to me. I’ll watch it if it’s on Parliament channel later.

The general levels of bad temper and ill will are worrying, though.

Threats to family members are appalling, and everyone invoking the ghost of Jo Cox every hour, on the hour, is out of hand and disrespectful.

If something needs to be done about inaction over threats, let me know where to sign and who to lobby.

HopeClearwater · 25/09/2019 23:56

Geoffrey Cox’s appallingly nasty and ill-tempered performance earlier has been forgotten already in the wake of the disdain shown by the PM today.

stumbledin · 26/09/2019 00:08

I think it is really important to take note of the way some, not all, Brexiters are framing the culprits of the stalemate over leaving as being MPs.

This is also being whipped up by some tabloids and that Boris et al are trying to portray themselves as "the people" against Parliament.

And this at a time when the Commons has already had investigations into online hate against MPs, and particularly women MPs.

Irrespective of my views on Brexit and think the things that are being said are an incitement. I know people who think we should just leave not because they support Brexit put are genuinely frightened about violence if it doesn't.

But of all the outrageous things Johnson has done is him responding to someone reminding MPs of the death of Jo Cox at a time tempers were rising because of the Brexit campaign.

Compared to Cameron's calm down dear this is just beyond being unacceptable.

He should be totally ashamed. And if his doting father was of any use he should really give him a lecture.

I read somewhere that with our unwritten constituion a lot of how out system works depends on the "good chap" principle. ie that MPs will do the decent thing.

But Johnson has shown that we are way beyond that.

And he really does seem impervious to his complacent sense of superiority. The worst example of the product of a public school.

And worse still there are still enough forelock tuggers in this country who admire this ego tripping bully boy behaviour and will support him as they somehow think this is "standing up for Britain".

Repugnant.

PerkingFaintly · 26/09/2019 00:13

BJ was systematically choosing incendiary language, using metaphors that promote violence and dismissive of any appeal (mostly by female MPs) to moderate the tone.

^This.

ChickenNuggetsChipsAndBeans · 26/09/2019 07:02

I think the People Vs Parliament campaign by Boris is dangerous. It doesn't help the electorate understand the issues, but treats the electorate like idiots who he thinks will respond to a few WW2 type
catch phrases. Let's see if he is right.

It is also bizarre considering the general public did not vote for him. He became PM through the parliamentary system and a small homogenous group of conservative party members.

He then expelled MPs , losing the majority and blamed parliament for the resulting turmoil caused by him.

I think Boris is dangerous and I don't think he is pro women, or working class people he is just pro Boris and his own ambitions.

And on the other side we have Corbyn who is determined not to be prime minister by rolling out policies that do not appeal to the majority of the electorate.

Somehow we need to get moderates to join all major political parties to temper the extreme elements who seem to be running the show. The problem is that moderates like me don't fit anywhere anymore.

Swipe left for the next trending thread