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

[DarkAtEndOfUk]

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

Not the far right - much of it is coming from the far left.

I also think there is some confusion here: the British right is not the same as the American right which is heavily influenced by abortion.

Oh no. That’s not funny. Just dull.
Tell me all about how using the word surrender is so much worse than permitting one of your MPs to be hounded until she leaves the party because she’s Jewish. That’s a good one.

Indeed it is @LloydBraun my god the deafening SILENCE that reigned about that for months. Because nobody can have serious concerns about their own side any more and if you do, you’re a shill and they set the momentum boys on you.

Perhaps you should read on ...about the threats of death to Yvette Coopers daughter. The threats to Anna Soubrys mother. Jess Phillip's. The list goes on

Yes, I know. It’s dreadful.

Or do they not count as they are not carrying the anti trans flag?

I have no idea who or what you’re arguing with TBH @smilethoyourheartisbreaking What I’m arguing is that we should be MORE even handed in what we loudly deplore.

Today's attacks on Jess Phillips office (banging on the windows and shouting Fascist) are pretty damn ironic given Monday's attacks on the wpuk meeting (including banging on the windows) and about which JP couldn't care less about.

TottieandMarchpane

To repeat what others have said if the only response the PM can give to a woman describing the fear she and other women MPs have felt because of threats to themselves and their children and the very real fact that a woman MP was KILLED by man quoting pro Brexit messages is "I have never heard so much humbug" then he is a despicable human being. No doubt the reaction of many men, but in his position, in a time when Me Too and the House of Commons itself have looked into violence against women it is a complete and utter failure.

But we have got to the point where populism rather than politics is the language that the main stream media filters the discussion so that even today people were saying however awful it was that he said basically they deserved it because they (MPs) are "thwarting the will of the people".

The veneer that somehow we have all moved on from the 50s, 70s, whatever, is now shown to be just that. A veneer. When it comes to a power struggle the dominant males dont bother to dress up how they think or behave. The use their privilege to stamp down over anybody who opposses them in any way they can.

And if that means whipping up anger and violence on the street they dont mind. They are immune from it.

Talk radio and the lack of proper news reporting in the UK means it is now all about them and us.

Boris is just taking a leaf out of Trump's campaign style.

And as i said in an early post, there are more than enough people who buy into this America / Little England first. And anyone who queries it is a traitor.

To add I value my reproductive rights. If you really dont think that is an issue and do not fear a Far Right government I guess fir the moment you can just look away. But that means if/when it happens. If BJ a known narcissist and JRM a known mysgonist decide to take them away it will be too late.

Surely it is time to unite rather than pitting women against each other?

Well maybe you could make a start by dropping your efforts to convince me I’m sanguine about the hard right?

To repeat what others have said if the only response the PM can give to a woman describing the fear she and other women MPs have felt because of threats to themselves and their children and the very real fact that a woman MP was KILLED by man quoting pro Brexit messages is "I have never heard so much humbug" then he is a despicable human being.

What he described as “humbug” was the attempt to link 1) his choice of vocabulary to 2) the horrible death threats received and 3) the specter of Jo Cox.

Which is slightly different from the way you’re positing it.

It’s not great. It doesn’t make me warm to him at all. The glib thing he said about JC’s memory being beat served by pushing through Brexit was pretty shameful.

But I still think this obsession with “WOT BORIS SED YESTERDAY” is fiddling while Rome burns.

OK fair point.

Thank you @smilethoyourheartisbreaking.

Why do you think they dont care about what is happening re the trans attacks? They want it

I’m going to get myself a wine and try to think about the interconnectedness of it all.

What is all this 'your side' and 'one of your own' nonsense?

Do you assume people who rightly dislike Johnson's dog whistle rhetoric are automatically Labour voters?

That is part of the problem right there.

I see the PM being asked to tone down the rhetoric by women MPs as part and parcel of a protest against, or an increased awareness of, the increasing tendency for abuse in our society and a decreasing safety for women. As the beginning of an attempt to stop political institutions from turning a blind eye to such things. As such, I don't see complaints about the prime minister's behaviour and rhetoric and the increasing incidence of TRA protests against women's groups as opposed at all, I see it as parts of the same thing. I'm fairly sure, from memory, that someone in parliament either yesterday or today spoke about the wider impacts on free speech in society in general.

Why do you think they dont care about what is happening re the trans attacks? They want it

That was my point - the far left are encouraging this

I don't understand why people feel the need to argue with others with cries of 'what about...?' If you think that other women also need defending, send them messages of support too, and write to MPs from that party too. Point it out so that others can also write. But don't defend a wrong with pointing out another wrong. Both things are wrong. One person's wrong can not be defended by pointing out a completely different person's wrong. By all means point out all the wrongs, but please don't defend them. Hold everyone to the same standards.

What is all this 'your side' and 'one of your own' nonsense?
Do you assume people who rightly dislike Johnson's dog whistle rhetoric are automatically Labour voters?
That is part of the problem right there

well said. im so fed up with this- this is our Prime Minister we're talking about - or rather we're not talking about because for some reason every time you try and talk about our PM, the conversation turns to something/someone else.

"Squirrel!"

Women are fair game right now and their anger at facing threats and intimidation - be they MPs, academics, breastfeeding mothers or just women meeting to discuss their rights - is being dismissed as hysterical and ridiculous by the left and the right. This is why feminism is not a left or right or right issue. Because the right are doing it, and so are the left.

This is what feminist solidarity is supposed to mean - it does not matter if I agree with you, or even like you. If you are a woman and you are being verbally and physically intimidated and attacked, I will stand with you.

This is why feminism is not a left or right or right issue. Because the right are doing it, and so are the left.

A-fucking-MEN

(But not men IYSWIM )

“ both things are wrong” but some things are worse than others.
I can’t get worked up about Boris saying humbug, sorry. Just can’t. Because that’s exactly what it was, and the labour benches need to take a good hard look at themselves before they start quibbling over words. No one needs bodyguards to protect themselves from words. Laura Kuensberg needs a bodyguard to go to your ducking conference, you whining sanctimonious gits. Sort yourselves out first.

Laura Kuensberg needs a bodyguard to go to your ducking conference, you whining sanctimonious gits. Sort yourselves out first.

who the fuck do you think youre talking to?

Women are fair game right now and their anger at facing threats and intimidation - be they MPs, academics, breastfeeding mothers or just women meeting to discuss their rights - is being dismissed as hysterical and ridiculous by the left and the right. This is why feminism is not a left or right or right issue. Because the right are doing it, and so are the left.

This. Thank you all posters for connecting the dots. I have learned a lot from this thread.

At this point I am frightened for all women and girls, regardless of what kind of Brexit we end up with.

It is more important than ever, that all women stand together for women’s rights.

They need bodyguards to protect against death threats. Why are you focusing on vocabulary when Johnson was clearly minimising those?

For others, if we will not support women public figures against violence now, we will lose them, and then how much support can you ever hope to gain against TRAs? This is the time for us all to raise awareness of just how violent and aggressive Britain is, just how much aggression is becoming normalised. For everyone, everywhere, who is a victim of it.