MP highlights online abuse

(There is a video to accompany this piece)
A North Wales MP has hit out at online trolls, claiming that they are deterring people from making a difference in public life.
Addressing the House of Commons, Virginia Crosbie claimed that since her election as the MP for Ynys Môn, she had been subject to “significant online abuse, intimidation and threats.”
In a social media post, the Conservative MP highlighted one Facebook response to her recent maiden speech, where she was described as a “f***ing slag.”
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Ms Crosbie added: “I believe that that kind of abuse on social media, directed at me and others, is simply unacceptable.
“It puts off people from making a difference in public life. I have received considerable online support from many of my constituents, and for that I should like to show my appreciation.
“What is the government doing to protect people who would want to stand for public office?”
In response the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, thanked the newly elected member for highlighting such abuse, adding the legislation was being designed to help tackle it.
She said: “I thank my Honorable Friend for highlighting and shining a spotlight on some of the most corrosive and abusive behaviour that people in public office—public servants—witness and experience online.
“That is simply unacceptable. The Government’s Online Harms White Paper makes clear that we will absolutely tackle such corrosive behaviour: we will pull it off the online media, and we will introduce a regulatory regime to ensure that that kind of hatred cannot continue online.”
Ms Crosbie’s predecessor, who stood down at December’s General Election, also spoke out against both verbal and online abuse of politicians, claiming that not a single member of parliament had been able to avoid the “hostile environment” now prevalent at Westminster.
Albert Owen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service in December: “It’s been quite vile and horrible, it is predominantly for ethnic minority and female MP’s and thanks to the lid that has been lifted by Brexit and social media.
“When I first got elected there was a mutual respect but maybe its a society thing.
“This office (in Holyhead) has been a physical target, not myself individually, but I have a responsibility for staff and the public.
“I never thought I’d have to worry about the security of my staff and family and it is an extra burden and I won’t hide away from that.
“This building has been attacked and I’ve always offered people who are hostile with me a face to face meeting to try and distinguish their thoughts, but there is a line and many of the threats are anonymous.
“It is very very sad and it needs to stop. But I always think there are more decent people in society, these are a minority and cowardly keyboard warriors.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter