Almost 90 per cent of MPs faced abuse during snap general election campaign, poll finds

Westminster - Image credit: Fotolia

Some 87 per cent of MPs faced some sort of abuse during the general election campaign, a new survey has suggested.

Half said the 2017 campaign was the worst they had ever experienced – with many the victims of death threats and vandalism, according to the poll for Radio 5 Live.

An astonishing 41 out of the 47 Conservative MPs who responded said they had been targeted, and three quarters of all MPs said they had faced online abuse.

One female Tory MP said she was "threatened to be put in a coffin", while a female Labour MP said: "Does a man coming into my office threatening to bomb it count?"

Others talked of intimidation by large crowds at hustings, misogynistic and sexual abuse and one who said he had a “bottle smashed on me”.

Ten Labour MPs also reported abuse from members of their own party.

Nineteen of the respondents said they would not recommend standing for parliament, and one said “it really starts” once elected.

Others spoke of the “profound” effect it has on family life, although a majority said abuse should not be a barrier to democracy and more should be done to fight it.

A Commons spokesperson said: "The increasing levels of abuse and threats made against Members of Parliament, their staff and families, are unacceptable.

"No one should have to endure this as 'part of the job', and we take this problem extremely seriously."

A recent study found Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott received ten times as much abuse as any other MP in the run up to the June general election.