Yvette Cooper slams the 'vitriolic attacks' on MPs
CONSERVATIVE ministers have called for people who intimidate would-be MPs to be prosecuted.
Yvette Cooper has condemned vitriolic attacks by her party’s supporters on Theresa May
Senior Tories fear serious abuse, including death threats, will put off talented candidates from standing for Parliament.
It came as a former Labour leadership contender Yvette Cooper condemned vitriolic attacks by her party’s supporters on Conservative politicians.
No 10 has pledged to probe abuse at the General Election after complaints by Tories.
People need to be prosecuted or else we will have a real problem
One minister said: “People need to be prosecuted or else we will have a real problem... to convince good people, especially women, to stand to become an MP.”
He said the law may need to be bolstered to deal with the it.
On Friday, Theresa May called for the abuse to be stamped out, just days after the problem had been discussed by her cabinet.
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And yesterday, Ms Cooper told the Fabian Society in London: “We’ve seen Labour supporters at rallies holding placards with the severed head of Theresa May.
“Maybe it was meant as a joke. It isn’t funny.”
She also condemned as “utterly shameful” abuse aimed at Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger, now on maternity leave.
No 10 has pledged to probe abuse at the General Election after complaints by Tories
Mrs May has called for Jeremy Corbyn to tackle harassment too
On Friday the Prime Minister pledged to tackle the harassment of MPs, but challenged Mr Corbyn to do more to help.
She said: “We need all party leaders to condemn this bullying, harassment and intimidation.”
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: “Jeremy has always condemned abuse and personal attacks and never engages in them."
Tory MP for South East Cornwall Sheryll Murray has been harassed with swastikas carved into posters
Tory MP for South East Cornwall Sheryll Murray, who has received death threats on social media, told fellow MPs about the harassment she has suffered.
She said: “I’ve had swastikas carved into posters, social media posts like ‘burn the witch’. People have put Labour party posters over my home... photographed them and pushed them through my letterbox. Someone even urinated on my office door.”