Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott revealed her staff try not to let her go out in Hackney on her own for fear of being targeted in a Jo Cox-style attack.
Abbott said in a TV interview yesterday she has been trying to sort out security at her home after the horrific murder of fellow Labour MP Jo Cox in June last year.
The Labour MP appeared on Sky News show Sophy Ridge yesterday to call on Parliament to launch an inquiry into abuse of MPs.
She told the host: “When Jo Cox was unfortunately attacked and died, of course your first thoughts are for her husband and children and friends and family and the people of Batley and Spen who lost a great MP, but you also thought this isn’t all just abuse – maybe stuff can happen”
“Since then I’ve been trying to sort out my security on my home, and my staff try not to let me walk around Hackney on my own. It’s a horrible, horrible world out there.”
Abbott, who has represented Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987 when she became the first black woman to be elected MP, said she has suffered personally from abuse directed her way, the Guardian reported.
She said Facebook and Twitter should do more to stop people sending racist and sexist abuse and called for a parliamentary inquiry to see what else could be done to ensure internet providers take action.
She believes social media has “turbo-charged” the abuse as it is now easier to send.
Police “must be given power to shut websites in child abuse fight” Abbott told Sophy Ridge: “I think it’s very, very sad you’re seeing this horrible abuse. I actually think internet providers could do more.
“Facebook, Twitter — they’re American companies, they believe in first amendment — right to freedom of speech.
“But no-one really has a right to peddle this racist and sexist abuse.”
“When I was a new MP if you want to send racist abuse you wrote a letter, in green ink usually, and you got maybe one or two of those letters a week. Now you can press a button and threaten to rape somebody.”