It appears we have caused a stir, which I suppose is to be expected in this day and age when any criticism of feminism is regarded as being anti-woman and when the more perceptive the criticism, the more misogynistic the critic is portrayed. So, it was inevitable that our general Eeection campaign against Jess Phillips would be met with hostility and threats of repercussions. We weren’t surprised.

To explain, my friend and I recently campaigned in Birmingham Yardley against the feminist Labour MP Jess Phillips. We chose her simply because she was caught on camera openly laughing at the higher male suicide rate (and other issues) when it was raised as one of the reasons given by Tory MP Philip Davies in his application to debate men’s issues in the House of Commons on International Men’s Day.

My friend was particular upset by this as, when he was a single father, he and his three sons were forced to live in a church when they were made homeless. It was during this time that one of his boy’s tried to take his own life – twice. To laugh at male suicide was not just despicable to us but personal as well.

We spent the first few days campaigning near shopping centres and high streets, meeting people, handing out flyers. It was proving somewhat unsuccessful because the constituents of Yardley seemed less than interested in either politics or the general election. As a result, we changed tactics and started dropping flyers through people’s letterboxes. As luck would have it, one of these flyers soon found its way into Jess’s hands and, well, she was a little displeased, threatening us with lawyers and all. Very mature, we thought.

The Twitter comments are hilarious: they alternate between rational people actually discussing what is printed on the flyers and her loyalists mindlessly jumping to her defence and I mean, heck, why would her followers want to learn what we’re saying and engage in rational debate when they can occupy themselves hurling their neurotic tweets of outrage at us! Oh, such juvenile behaviour!

But Twitter was not enough for our esteemed opponent, she had to run to the press crying misogyny! Thanks for the free publicity! (My blog has been enjoying all the extra traffic so, thanks again!) In her article she accused us of being weak misogynists! That apparently is what our taking a disliking to her laughing at male suicide, and therefore campaigning against her, makes us. We are “very weak people who are obviously scared of women who speak up”.

In fact we had made no reference to her loud-mouthed behaviour on the flyer (Indeed, I personally respect her for it; at least she’s one of the few human MPs in the House of Commons. It’s just a pity she’s such a horrible human being). We campaigned not because we were scared but because we were appalled by her laughter and sniggering about male suicide and other critical men’s issues. It is right there as the second item on our flyer!

Though we tried, it was still a difficult campaign. Poor weather and disinterested locals certainly dampened our spirits. I can empathise with them. When I’m walking down a high street in the bleary rain I care not for people handing out leaflets. Nonetheless, we persevered, with the aid of a few volunteers who helped during the week. And boy, am I grateful for their help.

But, ultimately, we failed. In fact, her majority tripled. Reading that in the morning news felt like a real kick to the teeth; I will not lie. However, I take solace in the fact that it’s not because of her virtuousness or qualities as a person that she won but because of the surge of Corbynistas and the general left-leaning views of the people in Birmingham.

All the Labour candidates in Birmingham won with a strong majority so our campaign against Jess Phillips was not just against her but against the whole weight of the Labour Party behind her.

I guess this was one of those times where Goliath vanquished David. But if just the people who read this blog now get to know the true character of an arrogant, bullying and heartless feminist, then it was time well spent.

(Image: Mike Buchanan)