quote:

General election: Labour under pressure to drop candidate who shared post of Theresa May at gunpoint
'The impact of such images are clear - they incite intimidation and violence against female politicians,' say group of Labour women

Lizzy BuchanPolitical Correspondent @LizzyBuchan
1 hour ago

EPA
Labour is facing pressure to ditch a potential election candidate who shared a social media post of Theresa May at gunpoint.

A group of prominent female MPs seeking re-election have written to party bosses urging them not to endorse Kate Osborne to stand in Jarrow, as it would “undermine" efforts to stamp out abuse.

Labour’s ruling body is understood to be meeting on Saturday to discuss the seat, which was left vacant after previous MP Stephen Hepburn was suspended over sexual harassment claims.

The row stems from a post shared by Ms Osborne in 2017, uncovered by HuffPost, which showed the former prime minister cowering at gunpoint with the words, “Say strong and stable again”.

Dozens of candidates, including Yvette Cooper, Jess Phillips, Stella Creasy and Rosie Duffield, have signed a letter to general secretary Jennie Formby and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to express their “shock and concern”.

The letter said: “The impact of such images are clear - they incite intimidation and violence against female politicians. Many of our Labour colleagues - and indeed politicians from all political parties - have been subject to similar disturbing content online.

"When women in public life are facing unacceptable levels of intimidation, sharing this image not only indicates an extreme lack of judgement, but further feeds into the cycle of abuse that we are all currently experiencing.

"If Kate Osborne is selected, it would undermine any claim our party makes to stand resolutely against the harassment and intimidation of women in public life.”

Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said the post was “totally unacceptable”.

“As somebody who has faced a level of abuse and death threats as a politician, I think a lot of people out there really don’t see vitriol and nastiness that is online pointed at politicians at the moment,” she said.

“I think it is totally unacceptable to share images like that.”

Asked whether Ms Osborne should stand down, she said: “It’s not a matter for me whether that happens, it would be the NEC that looks at that.”

Ms Osborne told HuffPost she apologised “unreservedly” for the post,

She said: “I shared an image on social media of a film parody poster making light of Theresa May’s forced and robotic statements about her ‘strong and stable government’ in the run up to the 2017 general election.

“I unreservedly apologise for having shared this image. As a woman, I am extremely concerned about the abuse and threats that women in politics face and if elected I will work with colleagues to challenge misogyny, hate and division in politics and beyond.”

It comes after another candidate, Gideon Bull, pulled out of the race in Clacton on Friday after allegations of antisemitism.

Ian Byrne, standing in Liverpool West Derby, also faced calls to resign after it emerged that he shared a social media post calling a female Tory peer a “c***”.

TheRat posted:

Why is Yougov suddenly spamming ancient polls?

Sanitary Naptime posted:

Jaeluni Asjil posted:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-labour-theresa-may-gunpoint-kate-osborne-jarrow-a9196236.html



But it's alright for Jess Phillips to threaten to stab Corbyn in the front?

If you read the comments under the article you can find a link to the image which is I think Samuel Jackson in 70s look pointing gun.

sebzilla posted:

An actual current poll

https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1192850557389746177?s=19

Heading the right way but not fast enough.

Jose posted:

love to sit on a story for 20 months

https://twitter.com/alexwickham/status/1193106153795997696?s=20

Grey Hunter posted:

The polls for 17 had labour 5% down on thier real vote, nothing says its not the same now.

Guavanaut posted:

I heard Jeremy Corbyn was on the bus too and started a chant of Oh Jewremy Corbyn and the bus was racist.

jabby posted:

How long until a recording appears of Corden singing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey juuuuuuu-" [audio edited for length by Buzzfeed].

jabby posted:

https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1193155302172119040
We can go higher.

Were there even any polls this week?

Communist Thoughts posted:

Eh I dont think we need to pretend we don't understand when jessflaps is speaking metaphorically. It's pretty clear what that meant.

Posting pics of Theresa may about to be shot is good and praxis but it's not very smart for a candidate

CptAwesome posted:

I heard the bus had homophobic windshield wipers

Jaeluni Asjil posted:

It was posted in 2017, also obviously a joke, and she was a long way off being a candidate. Should everyone who ever thinks that they might want to ever stand for parliament etc watch absolutely every single thing they post or like from their earliest years? I don't think I know a single person (of any political persuasion and none) who would pass muster on that basis.

Rarity posted:

Don't get why anyone running for MP doesn't immediately scrub their own Facebook/Twitter tbh

Jaeluni Asjil posted:

It was posted in 2017, also obviously a joke, and she was a long way off being a candidate. Should everyone who ever thinks that they might want to ever stand for parliament etc watch absolutely every single thing they post or like from their earliest years? I don't think I know a single person (of any political persuasion and none) who would pass muster on that basis.

jabby posted:

Remember that screenshot of a Labour candidate's facebook that was taken about three years ago, and only released the other day?

Someone appears to be monitoring random left-wing nobodies online and gathering dirt just on the pure off-chance that they ever try to do something political. And they've been doing it for years. Worst of all, journalists know who is doing it (because they pass them the info) but don't consider that a story.

jabby posted:

Scrubbing doesn't work if someone is screenshotting your posts when they're created, years in advance of you entering politics. That's why it's so insidious.

Z the IVth posted:

Counting down until screenshots of UKMT posts start appearing.

jabby posted:

"Na na na na, na na na Nando's, hey juuuuuuu-" [audio edited for length by Buzzfeed].

jabby posted:

Scrubbing doesn't work if someone is screenshotting your posts when they're created, years in advance of you entering politics. That's why it's so insidious.

Z the IVth posted:

Counting down until screenshots of UKMT posts start appearing.