Last week, a Westminster Hall debate took place on the subject of abuse endured by MPs. Testimony was given by MPs of different parties about their own personal experience.
The debate was attended by Tory minister and Whip, Guto Bebb. At the end of the week, he recorded a video telling his Facebook followers about his experiences of the week – including his experience at the debate.
Bebb introduces this section of his video by appearing to dismiss claims by “some people” that abuse is suffered by MPs of all parties:
While some people are trying to claim that this is something that happens to all candidates…
Bebb even goes on to talk about his frustration that, as a minister and government Whip, he was not able to speak up in support of his colleague Simon Hart. Hart, also a government Whip, started the debate with a speech in which he referred to such abuse as,
swastikas on election boards and offensive slogans and language on posters.
However, most people’s ‘take-away’ from the debate was the graphic, harrowing and brave account by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, in which she spoke unflinchingly of the hideous racist and misogynist abuse she receives every day.
Watch – but be prepared, as it’s not for the faint-hearted:
By Mr Bebb’s own video admission, he was present at this debate – and frustrated that he couldn’t speak up on behalf of his colleague – while testimony by Ms Abbott and other Labour MPs is either omitted or else bundled together as an attempt to spread the blame for something he claims all started in September 2015 with Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader.
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Mr Bebb’s parliamentary office and was told,
We won’t be commenting on that but try his constituency office, they organise his videos.
A constituency office spokeswoman was unable to provide a comment but suggested reading an article by Guido Fawkes about an alleged ‘filibuster’ by Labour MPs of a motion blaming the ‘hard-left’ for abuse of MPs.
As Ms Abbott’s testimony showed, abuse of MPs is anything but a ‘hard left’ phenomenon, so any filibustering of a motion trying to lay the blame there would be entirely justified.
But considering that recent filibusters include an attempt by Philip Davies MP to block a private member’s bill against violence against women, pointing at a filibuster of a partisan motion when asked about an MP’s comments is an interesting choice of tactic.
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All members of the Labour party, and I hope of the rest of society, should let Diane know that she is actually valued and respected as a member of Parliament, for the enormous contribution she has made to race and gender equality too. She has led by example, with a long and distinguished career. To those who send this horrific abuse I would add they are pond scum, bitter and deranged, and outliers of even the right wing and the nutters who sour our right to free speech.
Guto Bebb himself has no problem with abusing his own constituents!
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/guto-bebb-tells-constituent-hes-13310776
Bebb has lost the plot and ought to be ashamed of himself. Diane Abbott is a heroine.
How Jeremy Corbyn copes with all the slander and libel flung at him by tory MPs and MSM is just astonishing. He never retaliates. There ought to be a way of protecting him from this.
You refer to it as the MSM (main-stream media), but what it actually is IS the establishment’s black propaganda machine – ie the Sun and the Mail and the Express etc.
Yes, you’re right to call it what it is.
What appalling behaviour towards Diane Abbott, she is so brave, both in enduring it and in standing up in Parliament to report it. I have nothing but a admiration and sympathy for her. I know my good opinion is of no great importance, but perhaps it will help her a little to stay strong and defiant in the face of such nastiness. The only comfort I can offer her is to remind her that these scummy people are beneath her notice, and like all cowards they tend to use their mouths instead of using their brains. This is because they are incapable of rational thought. They cannot even think up any original insults to throw, just the same old, same old. Please do your best to ignore them as they are not worth your time.
Reblogged this on MAL's MURMURINGS.