Criticism is too often becoming abuse - MPs

Weeks after he was elected MP for Bishop Auckland, Dr Sam Rushworth was fearing for his family's lives as he was bombarded with death threats from an obsessed constituent. What is it like for politicians receiving torrents of abuse?

As if the abuse and death threats sent to the new MP weren't bad enough, seeing online commenters hailing his tormentor as a "hero" reached a whole new level of scariness.

"It's absolutely right that people can criticise me and can scrutinise what I do," Dr Rushworth says, "but there is a difference between that and what is often just sheer abuse."

Earlier this month, Benjamin Clarke, 31 and from Bishop Auckland, was jailed for one and a half years for making threats to kill his local Labour MP Dr Rushworth.

Clarke told a social worker he would "smash [the MP's] head off the pavement until he dies," and sent chilling messages to Rushworth, including one that said: "I can't wait until your next public appearance, you'll be lucky to leave in one piece."

Asked if he actually meant to carry out the threats, Clarke said it was "just a matter of time" before he carried out at an attack, echoing the horrific murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess.

Dr Rushworth says Clarke's campaign was a distressing time for his children in particular.

They had seen a newspaper board outside a newsagents which quoted Clarke's threats to lock Dr Rushworth in his house, set it on fire and listen to his screams.

But, the comments underneath online articles about it were what was "really shocking", Dr Rushworth says.

There was a parade of abusive comments, with many calling Clarke "a hero".

"My teenage daughter rang me in tears because their school friends had shared it with her," Dr Rushworth says.

He adds: "I used to work in atrocity prevention, stopping genocides, but it always starts with a human being ceasing to be human in the eyes of other people.

"And I do think that's what's happening with MPs."

He says MPs of "all colours" are "routinely dehumanised", adding: "That level of personalised attack, when you have to live around it and see it all day long, it grinds you down.

"But then also you have opportunities to make a difference and that's very rewarding."

The previous Conservative MP in the area, Dehenna Davison, said she had started receiving abuse before she was even elected.

The police investigated a number of people for harassment, death and rape threats.

"It's horrendous," Ms Davison said of the thousands of abusive messages she would receive daily.

"[Dr Rushworth] and I may be political opponents, but no elected official - regardless of your political standpoint - should be having to face this."

She said abuse was happening across all constituencies.

Chi Onwurah, who represents Newcastle Central for Labour, told BBC Radio Newcastle she has had people following and harassing her in the streets.

"I was on the radio recently, and I was called a vile creature, ugly inside and out," she said.

"There were over 400 comments being really abusive, the subject I was talking about didn't even matter."

Misinformation is used to fuel hatred, Ms Onwurah said, referencing the misinformation about the Southport attacks that sparked last summer's riots.

"I think we need better regulation with how algorithms drive misinformation," she said, adding: "We need more responsibility for the platforms and a better response to getting out the truth."

Ms Davison also warned that young people have told her they are put off going into politics because of the abuse.

"There are legitimate ways that you can criticise them [MPs], but behaviour like that is absolutely not one of them," she said.

Additional reporting by Collette Howe, Imogen Moir and Pamela Tickell.

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