A Labour MP has called out the ‘toxicity’ in British politics after some ‘idiots’ allegedly took a ‘sledgehammer’ to his home last night.
Andrew Western, who was re-elected in Stretford and Urmston in Greater Manchester on Friday, said that the incident is being investigated by police working for Operation Bridger – a team focusing on the security of elected representatives.
While the MP who was elected in 2011 said ‘no one was hurt’ he added that the ‘harassment, intimidation and abuse of politicians is not ok and is not normal’.
Despite this, he vowed ‘not to be cowed’ by the perpetrators but called on voters to recognise what MPs have to ‘put up with ever more routinely’.
Writing on social media he said: ‘Considered whether to post this but sadly needs saying: ‘Last night there was an incident at my home that is being investigated by police as part of Operation Bridger.
Labour MP Andrew Western (right, pictured with Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year) has called out the ‘toxicity’ in British politics after some ‘idiots’ took a ‘sledgehammer’ to his home last night
The MP who was elected in 2011 said ‘no one was hurt’ but he added that the ‘harassment, intimidation and abuse of politicians is not ok and is not normal’
Andrew Western has called out the ‘toxicity’ in British politics after some ‘idiots’ took a ‘sledgehammer’ to his home last night
‘I am absolutely fine and no one was hurt but the toxicity in our politics at present must be drawn out. The harassment, intimidation and abuse of politicians is not ok and is not normal.
‘That said it is becoming an ever more regular occurrence. I am proud to represent the people of Stretford and Urmston and I will not be cowed as I seek to serve them to the best of my ability.’
‘I want to thank GMP for an excellent response and say that these idiots do not speak for our community and I will do all I can to ensure they never do,’ he added.
When someone suggested the incident was probably just someone ‘taking the mickey’ he angrily responded ‘I’ll tell you that when someone takes a sledgehammer to your property’.
‘Eventually people will realise what MPs are having to put with ever more routinely,’ he added.
It comes as his colleague, fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips spoke out about the ‘pretty gruesome’ campaign she put up with to cling on to her seat in Birmingham Yardley.
The politician, who narrowly held onto her seat beating an independent by just 693, said one of her volunteers had been ‘screamed at by a much older man’ while campaigning and had her tyres slashed.
When the MP was told to ‘grow up’ by someone online, he revealed that a ‘sledgehammar’ was taken to his home
Labour’s Jess Phillips is booed as she wins her general election count after being closely run by Jody McIntyre, another pro-Gaza independent. The Returning Officer (right) tried to calm them down before she asked for them to be thrown out
The crowd filming and heckling Ms Phillips last night
She also declined the help from the family of murdered MP Jo Cox due to the spike in violence during the six-week campaign and would not let her children attend the vote count in the early hours of Friday morning.
As Ms Phillips’ majority was declared and she began her victory speech – claiming it had been ‘the worst election campaign I have ever stood in’ – she was heckled by boos and chants of ‘Free Palestine’.
It sparked a furious response from the MP, who yelled back: ‘I understand that a strong woman standing up to you is met with such reticence’ before pointing at them and saying: ‘Can you throw them out?’
When probed on the incident on LBC this morning, Ms Phillips was still visibly angry about the ‘aggression’ she had suffered after the vote count and during canvassing.
She told the programme: ‘These people were standing on a platform of helping the people of Gaza. It’s too simple to say it was sectarian. People are desperate for me to announce that the people who were shouting at me and barracking me were Muslim men.
‘The fact they were men is actually quite significant to me. The fact that they were Muslim is not significant because there are Muslim people in my constituency who didn’t behave like this.
‘These people were idiots. They didn’t do it because they were Muslim, they did it because they were idiots and they wanted something for themselves and they used a terrible tragedy to get that.’
The MP went on to add that those taking such a strong stance against her – resorting to aggression at times – were doing so to ‘drive content’ on social media apps, such as TikTok.
Tory MP Mike Freer even announced that he would be stepping down from being an MP after describing an arson attack at his constituency office on Christmas Eve as being the ‘final straw’
Burnt out windows at the rear of Conservative MP Mike Freer’s office in Ballards Lane in Finchley, north London
‘Everything was about driving content so these people weren’t ashamed of the way they were behaving they were doing it, then filming themselves and putting it on the internet,’ Ms Phillips added.
‘When Sadiq Khan came, men wearing masks shouting – I won’t say what they are saying because it’s a family show – shouting stuff about Sadiq Khan’s mother and they are not ashamed. They are putting it on the internet to incite other people to do the same.’
Earlier this year, a £75million spending package was revealed to improve the protection of MPs at Westminster.
Three female MPs were also given taxpayer-funded body guards amid growing fears against the politicians. It is unknown if all three were re-elected last week.
The unnamed trio, including Tory and Labour MPs, were understood to have close protection from private companies as well as chauffeur-driven cars, usually reserved for senior Cabinet members. Other MPs also turned to ex-SAS officers to protect them.
Private security was also provided protection at hundreds of constituency surgeries in the wake of the murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess.
Tory MP Mike Freer even announced that he would be stepping down from being an MP after describing an arson attack at his constituency office on Christmas Eve as being the ‘final straw’.
Paul Harwood, 42, was charged with arson with intent after a shed was set alight at the former justice minister’s office in Ballards Lane, North Finchley, on Christmas Eve last year.
MailOnline has contacted Mr Western and Greater Manchester Police.
