Sticks and stones?

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but obviously words could never harm you, right?

I’d suggest we need to review our reliance on this particular old chestnut – words definitely can harm you. It seems MPs in Westminster would agree with that too, with some of them receiving hugely unpleasant and aggressive abuse and, in some cases, being jostled and intimidated by protesters.

Think they’re being a bit ‘snowflakey’ about this? That they’re paid loads to be in the public eye, and should toughen up a bit – it’s all part of the job?

Well, imagine this. You’re walking towards your place of work when a group of men block your way and start shouting at you. Stuff like “You’re vile, I bet your parents are ashamed of you! You’re lying scum! You should be ashamed of yourself! You’re a Nazi!”

I know I’d be terrified by this. Hounding people going about their work is unacceptable – it’s bullying, and we sure as hell wouldn’t accept it in our own workplaces.

You have an absolute right to disagree with an MP. You also have a right to question them, hold them to account, and protest about their, or their party’s, actions. But aggressively blocking their path and shouting personal insults? No.

Make your voice heard – in the right place, at the right time, and constructively. Intimidation isn’t going to win you what you seek. Eventually, the resolve of the victims to continue to do what they believe to be right will defeat these deplorable tactics.

Events this week, brought sharply into focus by the shameful behaviour of protesters towards MP Anna Sourby, have seen the fight back begin, with the police being called upon to improve their response in such situations.

A cross-party group of more than a hundred MPs has signed a letter urging the police to deal with the “...intimidatory and potentially criminal acts targeting Members of Parliament, journalists, activists and members of the public”.

In a world where social media allows everyone to express their opinion far and wide, a small number of extremists have concluded that this freedom gives them the right to harass and intimidate. It doesn’t.

You might not like an MP, their views, what they represent – but that doesn’t mean you get to act like an angry schoolyard bully. Nor should journalists trying to do their jobs come under attack.

Surely we’re better than that. Aren’t we?

This post first appeared as my "A wry look at the week" column, in The Mail, on Friday the 11th of January 2018. No sign of it on their website.

I see that serial aggressive and rude questioner, Jeremy Paxman, had lumbered into this discussion and used the exact phrase I mentioned early on in my piece - namely that he thinks MPs complaining about this are "Snowflakes". Its a fine line, Jezza, but not everyone is capable of handling the levels of aggression used, nor should they be.

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