Labour MP's harassment

Most interesting Jen, thank you

True Trisher , it is well known whips will use blackmail , no way do they say - please vote with us we need your support , please do. It takes courage to go against the whip , seven Tories did and nine abstained

www.thecanary.co/2015/12/03/bllocks-pro-war-labour-mp-responds-to-email-from-concerned-constituent-with-contempt/

To save you looking back to the previous page, roses. The constituent's message is on here. Nothing nasty or inflammatory.

I really object to the way that Labour MPs being 'bullied' by members of the public has been made the subject of so much news coverage whilst the Tory MPs who voted against their own convictions because of the whip are being totally ignored. The tactics used by the parliamentary whips to make MPs toe the line are usually much worse than anything that has been sent in the way of messages. It's OK apparently for the Tory party to use any method it chooses. This doesn't mean I approve of the tactics involved just that I would like to see the other side discussed as well.

Perhaps two weeks of thinking about it and seeing the intelligence reports etc had something to do with it? It shows that Benn can change his mind when needed and is not stuck in an idealogical time warp.

Depends on what the constituent said to him in the first place of course.

Except, of course, Iam, that Benn was saying the opposite two weeks ago.
If he'd spoken as passionately for the no vote, he might have won that. There is no reason given for him changing his mind.

So the MP who said bollocks to a constituent and told him to take the issue seriously and learn a bit of respect doesn't matter. That's how MPs are supposed to speak to constituents, is it?
These things work both ways.

Yes MP's are elected by their constituents but they are selected by party members, only way to avoid this is stand as an independent

What deselection ?

For the avoidance of doubt - I thought Hilary Benn's speech was excellent. Like rose quartz, I found it persuasive but still feel uneasy about the UK joining a bombing campaign. I share the view expressed by all the military and ex military I've heard, who say boots on the ground will be needed within a few months.

Earlier this evening, I saw a channel 4 interview involving a young female Labour MP and a woman from People's Momentum, a left group that I'm sure Militant would have supported. I'm just watching the news headlines which reports a Labour MP (Neil Coyle?) who voted Yes, has involved the police after he received what he sees as a death threat on twitter . The MP is worried about his staff, his family etc. He is not blaming Corbyn who repeatedly stands against such threats.

Corbyn, Tom Watson and MacDonald calling for calm. Shocking, shocking and shocking.

If this is the 'nice and polite way of doing politics' ( hollow laugh) let's have the old way back again!

I think a lot of people are thinking along those lines POGS Neil Kinnoch managed to get those people out all that time ago, and now here they are , back again, large as life and twice as natural nasty.

What part did fear and intimidation play into influencing Labour MP's, particularly those younger ones at the start if their career, into voting 'No' I wonder?Fear of de-selection from Corbyn's coterie.

Well that was fun, I know threads meander but hells bells what a bloody fuss over nothing.

I guess some of you have had your notifications from Corbyn and Watson by now telling Labour members politics must be more civil and respectful. I think that says it all.

There is a repeated mantra that the MP's in Parliament MUST take notice of/do as they ARE TOLD by their Labour members.

Why?

The MP's in parliament were elected by their constituents in greater numbers than the actual party members . This harassment did not start after they voted last night, it has been going on since Corbyn entered the Leadership contest. It is fair to say as time has past the level of intimidation has escalated and the manner of intimidation has reached a level of hatred /vileness .

Chris Bryant mentioned the intimidation the Labour MP's are being subjected to in tParliament today. Labour are calling for a Code of Conduct and security for MP's.

Labour are in a mess and I agree with the comments being aired Labour is in the process of returning to the dark days of the 70's/80's Militant Tendency/Hatton days . They were kicked out and the Labour Party was all the better for it but you can see and hear the same attitude has crept back into the party with the likes of Left Unity and Momentum. Half of them are not even Labour members but they are stirring the shit, and if Labour don't take care history will repeat itself.

These people are not only vicious but stupid also. They have provided the right wing press with an opportunity to discredit the anti-war movement, which is inevitable but unjustified because I am sure the vast majority in the "no" camp would not support their behaviour. Please don't mistake these people for "pacifists" - their actions demonstrate they most certainly are not.

Having said that, there has been plenty of accusations of whips applying improper pressure on MPs, to the point of threatening them with exposure of their illegal or scandalous behaviour or of their careers being ruined. That is a more subtle and less visible form of bullying but probably a good deal more effective one.

www.thecanary.co/2015/12/03/bllocks-pro-war-labour-mp-responds-to-email-from-concerned-constituent-with-contempt/

For a bit of balance.

I wasn't going to post on this thread because I could not see why it had been started. But what the heck.

Some do. Some seem to be happy to dish it out but can't take it.

That's all I'm saying on this thread.

Or not

You develop a thick skin on here ...

Exactly. It's the same for posts on GN as well...

I suppose one is supposed to chant 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me'

Although particularly scathing attacks could be remembered for years .....

Aren't sarcasm and scathing personal comments 'harmful' at all then?

I am sure, but some of the things that have happened have been quite nasty. Not physical, but psychological harm perhaps.

Ooh, didn't know I could follow Derek the weatherman on twitter.
I don't want to join though.
I sometimes follow Richard Angwin on Al Jazeera, he used to be the weatherman for the West.

I follow Fry, I think that!s the term, my grandson joined me Jo on twitter, I had to give some names, big struggle, settled for Fry, Derek the weatherman and BBC Wales . Have never signed in, no idea what my password is, I get an e'mail with a link to Fry but not daily .

Some pacifists can get angry. I do, I say I am a pacifist because I am against all violence , be it a slap or a gun, death penalty , bullying, anything which hurts man or beast , I can get angry but could never, ever threaten anyone or deliberately cause hurt or harm

Pacifists are human too

All I know about twitter is that Stephen Fry uses it a lot.
A good reason to stay away imo