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Birmingham MP Jess Phillips has revealed she received an ominous death message this week which cited Boris Johnson's "dead in a ditch" comment over Brexit.

The MP for Yardley took to Twitter to show that 'words have consequences' amid angry exchanges in a highly charged House of Commons as MP after MP stood up to condemn the Prime Minister's language connected to the Brexit debate.

The PM, who had to return early from the UN in New York, said Supreme Court judges were 'wrong' during the debate and ignored repeated attempts to get him to apologise over the issue.

MPs were also furious he persisted in referring to a bill passed by the Commons as 'the surrender act', claiming it was incendiary.

On Twitter, Ms Phillips said: "This week I received an anonymous letter to my constituency office - here is what it said."

The typed note, which you can see below, included the lines: "It was rather prophetic that Boris Johnson would say 'I would rather be found dead in a ditch.' That is what will happen to those who do not deliver Brexit."

The shocking message was sent to Ms Philips' office in Yardley in the past week. In an offline exchange with BirminghamLive she confirmed she has reported the incident to the police.

She also advised she had received three messages of similar menace in recent months.

She added: "I get death threats and still I stand up, I don't surrender to fear & aggression. I don't surrender to lowest common denominator of fear to votes. I don't surrender to bullies who call me names.

"It is not I who have surrendered it is Boris Johnson he has surrendered his dignity."

And she concluded: "I'm not scared of an election, I am scared I might be hurt or killed."

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Her alarming comments came on a night of high emotion in the House of Commons as Boris Johnson delivered a statement following the Supreme Court ruling that the prorogation of Parliament had been unlawful, triggering an immediate resumption of business.

One after another, opposition MPs stood to demand an apology from the Prime Minister and condemned his use of 'combative' language.

MP Paula Sherriff, representing Dewsbury, gave an especially emotional speech about her friend Jo Cox, the Labour MP who was fatally shot and stabbed in June 2016 by a far-right extremist in the run up to the Brexit referendum. Cox was a passionate remain campaigner.

Johnson’s response of “humbug” to Sherriff’s impassioned plea was condemned - but the temperature ramped up further when Mr Johnson later suggested the best way to honour the fallen MP was to "deliver Brexit."

Their full exchange was:

Paula Sherriff : I genuinely do not seek to stifle robust debate but this evening the Prime Minister has continually used pejorative language to describe an Act of Parliament passed by this House and I’m sure that you would agree that we should not resort to using offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language about legislation which we do not like...we stand here, Mr Speaker, under the shield of our departed friend with many of us in this place subject to death threats and abuse every single day...let me tell the Prime Minister that they often quote his words, surrender act, betrayal, traitor - and I for one am sick of it.

"We must moderate our language and it has to come from the Prime Minister first, so I would be interested in hearing his opinion - he should be absolutely ashamed of himself."

Boris Johnson : I think Mr Speaker I have to say Mr Speaker I have never heard so much humbug in my life.

Later, Jo Cox's widowed husband Brendan tweeted: "Feel a bit sick at Jo’s name being used in this way. The best way to honour Jo is for all of us (no matter our views) to stand up for what we believe in, passionately and with determination. But never to demonise the other side and always hold onto what we have in common."

Speaking today on the Victoria Derbyshire programme, Ms Sherriff said: "People are really frightened and for him to treat it almost like a joke, was absolutely horrific and demeans the office of prime minister.

"I believe the prime minister is inciting hatred towards MPs. I understand the importance of saying that, but I know that feeling is shared by many of us."

About the author: Jane Haynes Politics and People Editor Jane Haynes aims to show how political decisions made in the council chamber or Parliament affect people and communities across Birmingham and the West Midlands. Got a story you want me to investigate, or want to tell me how the proposals or decisions of politicians are affecting you? Let me know, in complete confidence, by emailing jane.haynes@reachplc.com, or send me a Tweet @janerockhouse. You should also sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, which you can do here. Twitter: @janerockhouse Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/565979940870645/ Email: jane.haynes@reachplc.com Read more by Jane Haynes HERE

She said one MP had contacted her since last night saying the rhetoric used meant she would not stand at the next election. But Sherriff said she herself was determined to continue as an MP. She said: “I will not let these bullies win and I include the prime minister in that.”

She said she feared that another MP could be killed and insisted she was “not scaremongering”.

Follow my colleague Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Live's Westminster based Politics Editor, for stories from Parliament