Labour MPs have hit out at abuse and threats of deselection being directed at some of their colleagues undecided over how to vote on airstrikes in Syria.

Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, and Diana Johnson, MP for Hull North, were among the undecided members who received warnings from anti-war activists that their positions were vulnerable.

Creasy, whose office was targeted for an anti-war protest, complained of intimidation while considering how to vote. She posted on Facebook to highlight comments by a Walthamstow Labour councillor Asim Mahmood, who suggested that any MP who supported the “killing of innocents in this way should automatically go through a trigger ballot for reselection”.

Divisive vote on Syria is just the start of a bumpy journey for Labour Read more

She wrote: “I want to be clear that one thing I will not do is be bullied by a sitting Walthamstow Labour councillor with the threat of deselection if I don’t do what he wants. On a matter of national security such intimidation is completely unacceptable and disrespectful to the residents of Walthamstow who deserve better and glad to hear Jeremy in PLP condemn such conduct.”

During the debate itself, Creasy tweeted that she had to leave the chamber to check that her staff were OK, after people phoned her office to abuse them.

Diana Johnson, a shadow minister, also revealed she had received an email to her parliamentary address saying: “Six months after the vote on bombing Syria the Labour party members will lobby in the constituency Labour parties to move a vote of no confidence at constituency meetings in those Labour party MPs who vote to bomb Syria.

“If the vote of no confidence is carried, the MPs can then limp on until their selection at the next general election when they will be deselected. During the four-year period in the run-up to the next general election, the whole country will know of the no confidence in the MPs from their Labour party constituencies. That is the least the Labour party members will do to try to wash the blood from their hands of the innocent civilians which the bombs will surely kill.”

It is understood a number of Labour MPs have received similar messages. Liz Kendall, the former leadership contender, who is still undecided, received a tweet calling for “a final solution to purge Blairite scum” like her from the party. A number of Labour MPs, including many who are planning to vote against the airstrikes, condemned anyone who was trying to bully colleagues into voting one way or another.

Labour’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has repeatedly said he does not support any move to deselect MPs and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, reiterated this on Wednesday, including a message of support for Creasy.



Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, who opposes military action, said: “People using Syria for their political ends to get rid of MPs are utter scum. You are colluding with your enemies.”

Diane Abbott, the shadow international development secretary, who also strongly opposes bombing Isis in Syria, said that “sensible arguments persuade, not intimidation”.

In an escalation of the row, John Mann, the backbench MP for Bassetlaw, who opposes the extension of airstrikes, called for those dealing out abuse to be “dealt with”. He said those sending messages like the one received by Kendall and others were “not suitable to remain Labour party members”.

Stella Creasy outs internet trolls in YouTube video clip Read more

“The level of abuse over the last four months is on a totally, totally different scale from anything ever before. It is directly linked to people purporting to support Jeremy,” he told PA. “He should remove this intolerant minority. They have no place in a progressive leftwing party. None of them have been disciplined yet, nevermind expelled and he should start doing so.”

Mann said he was on the receiving end of abuse despite making clear he will vote against bombing, blaming inaccurate lists of supposed rebels being circulated among opponents of airstrikes. “It is deliberate bullying,” he said. “I have received tweets and emails, some are random but some seem to be orchestrated by groups both inside and outside the party.

“Threats of deselection are at the mild end of it. There is every kind of name-calling you can think of. There is no place in the Labour party for people who are going to abuse others in the run-up to an important debate and vote.”

There was also frustration among Labour MPs that a Stop the War march to the party HQ in Brewer’s Green meant that a phone-banking session to campaign for the Oldham byelection candidate had to be cancelled.