Labour's Jess Phillips has said a man has been arrested at her constituency office after allegedly "smacking the windows" and shouting "fascist".

The Birmingham Yardley MP said her staff had to be locked into the office during the incident, but are okay.

Ms Phillips said she was "not going to leap to blame Boris Johnson" but added that "we all need to be better" and the prime minister needs to "choose instead of trying to divide... to lead".

MP confronts PM's adviser over death threats

She also said that the phones in her London office have had to be temporarily disconnected as too many people were calling up and shouting "betrayal" and "traitor".

West Midlands Police said: "Police were called to reports of a disturbance outside an address on Yardley Road in Acocks Green, Birmingham just before 2.25pm on Thursday afternoon.


"A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and possession of cannabis.

"He's been taken into police custody and will be questioned in due course."

It comes after Mr Johnson caused controversy by saying the "best way" to honour murdered MP Jo Cox was to "get Brexit done".

'Humbug' - PM dismisses criticism of his language

Ms Phillips, who criticised the PM's comments in the Commons, tweeted on Wednesday: "I'm not scared of an election, I am scared I might be hurt or killed."

She also said she had received an "anonymous letter" to her constituency office which read: "It was rather prophetic that Boris Johnson should say: 'I would rather be found dead in a ditch.'

"That is what will happen to those who do not deliver Brexit."

Ms Phillips said: "@10DowningStreet might think we are "humbugs" about his words but they are literally being used in death threats against me."

Jo Cox's sister 'dumbstruck' by MPs' behaviour in Commons

The sister of Ms Cox, who was shot and stabbed by a far-right terrorist a week before the 2016 EU referendum, earlier told Sky News that Mr Johnson was wrong to tell MPs that they should honour her sister's memory by delivering Brexit.

The row comes after fractious scenes in the Commons, when Mr Johnson hit out at MPs for "sabotaging" Brexit in his first appearance since a Supreme Court judgment ruled his suspension of parliament was unlawful.

He accused them of passing a "surrender act", a reference to legislation which compels the PM to ask for a further delay to Britain's EU exit.

Labour MP Paula Sheriff called on Mr Johnson to curb his "violent" and "inflammatory" language.

"I've never heard such humbug in all my life," the PM replied.

Rachel Johnson says brother was 'tasteless'

Jeremy Corbyn accused Mr Johnson of encouraging people to act in "disgraceful and abusive" ways in his use of language.

Using "excessive emotive language" like betrayal and surrender "creates an atmosphere" in which some people take it to "unbelievable extremes", the Labour leader said.

He added: "Jo Cox was murdered on the streets of her constituency during the EU referendum.

"Her neighbouring MP raised a question in parliament, her successor as MP raised a question in parliament, and the response of the prime minister was hardly empathetic to what had happened or realising the enormity of a public figure being assassinated on the streets of her constituency, and said this is 'humbug'.

"I'm sorry, it is not acceptable."

'PM's language encourages abusive behaviour'

The PM said on Thursday evening that he "totally deplored" any threats, in particular to women MPs.

"I totally deplore any threats to anybody, particularly female MPs, and a lot of work is being done to stop that and give people the security that they need," Mr Johnson told BBC North West.

"But I do think in the House of Commons it is important I should be able to talk about the surrender bill, the surrender act, in the way that I did."