Jeremy Corbyn must step up the action he takes against those who abuse MPs, a former shadow cabinet minister said today.
Lucy Powell said the Labour leader has rightly condemned vicious attacks on party colleagues but now needs to “follow through” on his words.
The latest abuse endured by the ex-shadow education secretary includes a string of emails saying she was responsible for the Manchester bombing and had “blood on her hands”.
She said: “I would like to see more follow-through and action from my own party leadership in that context as well.
"Jeremy has called it out and I’ve had conversations with him about it and I know that he finds it appalling and abhorrent — but I think you’ve got to follow that through as well.”
Her comments to BBC radio come as MPs were tonight set to debate the abuse and intimidation of candidates and the public during the general election campaign.
Conservative MP Sheryll Murray is among those who received death threats in the campaign, while Hackney MP Diane Abbott has said she regularly receives racist and sexist abuse.
A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said: “Jeremy has always condemned abuse and personal attacks.
"Freedom to hold those in power to account for their positions or actions is a vital part of democracy. But it must never be a pretext for personal abuse, which is unacceptable and undermines democracy itself.”
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