Labour MP Jess Phillips has revealed that police were called to her house three times over the weekend amid a 'massive recent increase' in personal abuse. She told BBC Breakfast she had received hundreds of violent messages since a heated Commons debate on parliamentary language.
Ms Phillips claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a 'direct strategy designed to divide', which she said was 'working'. The prime minister has denied this, describing any threats to MPs as 'deplorable'.
On Friday, a man was charged in connection with a disturbance at Ms Phillips' Birmingham Yardley constituency office. The MP has been a high-profile critic of Commons language in recent days, using the chamber to urge the prime minister to apologise over terms she said risked inflaming 'hatred and division'.
Ms Phillips said she had received 'hundreds of violent messages and abusive emails' since last Wednesday, including on social media and direct threats. She acknowledged she was not always 'well-tempered' in Parliament but wished everyone could 'temper our language and start talking to each other reasonably about a very difficult issue (Brexit)'.
She expressed concern over what she believes is Mr Johnson's 'direct strategy to harm' and 'rabble rousing', adding: 'I expect to see a change in his behaviour. I expect to see him trying to lead the country with a consensus.' Mr Johnson has also said 'tempers need to come down' in the Commons.
