Stella Creasy, the Labour and Cooperative MP for Walthamstow, has warned that a culture of character assassination is silencing political opponents and driving a dark shift in public discourse. Writing in response to a torrent of abuse she received after a tweet showing her dancing at a silent disco in her constituency went viral, Creasy said the attacks—including death threats and vile comments about her appearance—reflect a concerted effort to drown out dissent through personal vilification.
Creasy noted that while concern over MPs' competence is not new, the current trend of leaning into aggression and depicting opponents as personal disgraces is unprecedented. She cited examples where political opponents questioned her patriotism, including Zack Polanski asking if she was a 'patriot' and Tommy Robinson calling her a 'traitor'. Such hyperbole, she argued, goes beyond political knockabout and fuels a toxic environment.
The MP highlighted that abuse and violence towards politicians are at an all-time high, with colleagues regularly sharing stories of harassment, attacks on offices, and fears for their families. Parliamentary security now often involves moving MPs away from constituents, deepening the sense that they are 'targets in waiting'. Creasy linked this to a wider societal frustration, noting that 44% of women and 38% of men believe Britain's institutions should 'burn', according to More in Common data.
Creasy also criticised the role of social media, particularly under Elon Musk's ownership of X, which she said promotes conservative material and demotes alternative perspectives. She argued that online abuse sets expectations that politicians 'deserve what they get', disproportionately affecting women and people of colour. The culture, she concluded, deters participation from underrepresented groups and undermines the free speech and careful listening essential to good policy-making.
