Wednesday 26 July 2017

Jess Phillips MP should think before opening her mouth and uttering stupid things


I read with great interest Gaby Hinsliff’s G2 report on threats to  women MPs (“It’s a case of looking over your shoulder," 26 July; https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/25/we-dont-have-bodyguards-we-are-completely-vulnerable-female-mps-on-the-fears-they-face) having worked with female politicians in the British and European Parliament.
After the appalling stabbing  murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, everybody should take these threats very seriously.

However, I was surprised to see the ubiquitous Labour MP Jess Phillips  is once again given a platform to proselitize her arguments  on violent threats against MPs alongside sensible Labour MPs like Paula Sherriff and Diane Abbott.

s Phillips unfortgettably told your columnist, Owen Jones, in an interview reported on 14 December 2015 (“Labour MP Jess Phillips will 'knife Corbyn in the front' if he damages party https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/14/labour-mp-jess-phillips-knife-corbyn-vote-loser-general-election) she would knife Jeremy Corbyn “in the front, not the back” if it looks like he is damaging the party’s chances of electoral success.

Your article received nearly 9,000 on line comments. In reponse to criticism that her language had been inappropriate after the interview was first posted online, Phillips tweeted: “I am no more going to actually knife Jeremy Corbyn than I am actually a breath of fresh air, or a pain in the arse.”

As someone who you report worked for a domestic violent  charity before entering Parliament, she should  think a little longer before opening her mouth uttering dangerous words.

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