Reform UK Councillor Apologises for Sharing Violent Facebook Post Targeting Labour MP
A Labour Member of Parliament has declared that politicians should not have to accept death threats as a standard part of public service, following an incident where a Reform UK councillor shared a Facebook post suggesting she "should be shot".
Social Media Post Sparks Outrage and Apology
The controversial post targeted Natalie Fleet, the Labour MP for Bolsover in Derbyshire, who has previously spoken openly about being groomed and raped as a teenager. The Facebook content included a picture of Fleet accompanied by a fake quote falsely attributed to her, stating: "I voted against the grooming gang enquiry."
Simon Evans, who serves as deputy leader of Lancashire council and cabinet member for children and families, shared the post along with accompanying text that read: "you dozy cow, you should be shot." Evans later deleted the content and issued a public apology on Facebook, claiming he had made a genuine mistake by not noticing the violent language.
MP's Response Highlights Wider Political Climate
Natalie Fleet responded to the incident by stating: "Posts like this are so common I don't bat an eyelid, however, they remind me why my husband and children begged me not to stand." She expressed particular concern for her family members who have to witness such content, and for women who may be discouraged from entering politics due to similar threats.
Fleet emphasised her motivation for entering politics, explaining: "The last Labour government helped me so much, I got into politics because I wanted to pay that forward and help others in my community. Whatever party, we should be able to fight for our areas without death threats as standard."
Councillor's Explanation and Party Response
In his apology, Simon Evans wrote: "Unfortunately what I did not notice was the accompanying text of the Facebook post that was created by an unknown user. As soon as this was pointed out, I immediately deleted the post. I would never intentionally call for or wish violence upon anyone, regardless of their political beliefs."
He added that such rhetoric has absolutely no place in our politics and offered a sincere apology to Fleet and anyone else offended by the post. A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed that after investigating the incident, the party considers it an honest mistake and will not be taking disciplinary action against Evans, accepting his version of events and apology.
MP's Parliamentary Achievements and Advocacy
Since entering Parliament at the last general election, Natalie Fleet has successfully campaigned for significant legislative changes, including removing parental responsibility from sex offenders where a child is born of rape. She described this measure as one that "will protect grooming victims."
Fleet has been vocal about her personal experiences in Parliament, stating previously: "I have spoken publicly about giving birth after being the victim of statutory rape, and I am sick of being told I am brave. I do not want to be brave; I want it to be expected that we tell our truth." She has also praised the government's ambition to halve violence against women and girls, while calling for greater openness about such issues in political discourse.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about online abuse targeting politicians and the challenges of maintaining civil discourse in an increasingly polarised political environment, particularly on social media platforms where content can be shared rapidly without full scrutiny of accompanying text or context.
