The number of crimes against UK parliamentarians has more than doubled in the period from August 2017 to August 2018 compared to the same period a year before, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the police data.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2018) The number of crimes against UK parliamentarians has more than doubled in the period from August 2017 to August 2018 compared to the same period a year before, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the police data.
The special police unit established to probe crimes against members of the parliament received 242 complaints last year, while it had got only 102 cases the year before, according to The Guardian newspaper. The team was set up in August 2016 after the assassination of Labour lawmaker Jo Cox.
The police linked the rise in the amount of complaints with better engagement with the specialist police team, and more willingness on the part of members of the parliament to report the problem.
In contrast, UK shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said that her staff spent a lot of time removing and blocking abusive and threatening commentaries on social media.
"Facebook and Twitter have proven not to be at all helpful in doing this themselves. Overwhelmingly the abuse is of a highly offensive racist and misogynist character ... These are batched at the end of the week, otherwise contact with the police would be too frequent. There are many more than this, but these are the ones where police action may result," she said as quoted by The Guardian.
In December, UK Prime Minister Theresa May condemned intimidation and abuse against lawmakers, calling for "tolerance, decency and respect."
