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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
David Lynch & Dan Bloom

Tory MP told 'I hope you get cancer and suffer in agony' in 'sick' abusive email

A Tory MP was told "I hope you get a horrible, painful cancer" in an abusive email which he read out in Parliament on the sixth anniversary of Jo Cox's murder.

Peter Bone condemned the "sick" element of society that still threatens MPs from across the divide after the Labour MP's death.

He said she was "a happy, young Labour MP who was clearly going to make a mark on this place", and also mentioned the murder of his "dear friend" Conservative David Amess.

Mr Bone added: "I thought it might be helpful to the House if I read an email I got yesterday."

"Hi, just wanted to say something to you Peter, you are an odious - and then the next word begins with F and the next word begins with C - I hope you get a horrible, painful cancer and suffer in agony, either that or somebody kicks - the F-word again - out of you in the street'."

He added: "That isn't fair obviously to me, it is not fair to my staff that have to read this, and it is not fair to my family members.

It is six years today since Jo Cox MP's murder (PA)

"I raise this today not because it is about me, because I bet virtually everyone in this House has had something like this, and I think on the anniversary when we remember Jo, I wonder if the Leader of the House could have a statement or debate, but more importantly have something to do, something to stop this sick element in society."

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle described the email as "appalling", adding that he would speak to Parliament's head of security "immediately after" the debate.

"I just want to remind members, if you get emails, threats, any intimidation, please let us know," he said.

"Please direct them to the police in the constituency, but certainly speak to people here.

"It is not acceptable, it is not tolerable, we will not put up with it, we will follow up on what has been mentioned."

Commons Leader Mark Spencer said Mr Bone's email provided a "poignant moment to reflect on colleagues that we have lost and recognise how serious this is".

Southend MP Sir David Amess was murdered (PA)

He added: "Sometimes it is easy to dismiss such emails as just an email, but actually sometimes it does turn into physical violence and that must be avoided."

Speaking to the PA news agency after his appearance in the Commons, Mr Bone confirmed he had reported the email to the police in his constituency.

"It needs to be publicised to know that it is too widespread now," he said. "It wasn't like this when I first came in."

Mr Bone has previously spoken of abuse he has faced, including having the words "Tory sleaze" daubed on his constituency office.

He has also called for proposed internet safety reforms to be bolstered to stop "vile" behaviour he has encountered.

Speaking during a previous Commons debate, Mr Bone said: "A few years ago now, on social media, there was a picture of my young son being executed - beheaded - in an Isis-type scenario.

"It wasn't my son. It was somebody else. But it was to be representative of my son."

Jo Cox was murdered on June 16 2016 at an event in her Batley and Spen constituency.

Southend West MP David Amess was stabbed at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, last October.

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