The Conversation (0)
x
Louis Staples
Sep 27, 2019
After the Supreme Court ruled that parliament must re-open, prime minister Boris Johnson went on the offensive in the House of Commons.
Johnson ignored pleas from female MPs to adjust his tone. When friends of murdered MP Jo Cox implored the prime minister to tone done his rhetoric, which included inflammatory words like as “surrender”, he replied:
Humbug!
Johnson’s remarks have been condemned by his own sister, former cabinet minister Amber Rudd and many MPs including Jess Phillips and Jo Swinson.
Now Ellie Cooper, daughter of Labour MP Yvette Cooper, has taken to Twitter to let people know exactly what it’s like being the daughter of a female MP.
Cooper described on Twitter how the murder of Jo Cox changed her life, and left her fearing for her mother.
The thread, which was published as an article in The Independent, describes with brutal honesty the experience of being a child of a politician in 2019. Cooper says that language which “puts people’s lives at risk” has made politics become “a matter of life and death”, and blames Boris Johnson for furthering this rhetoric for his own gain.
I rarely actually tweet, especially about politics - am more of the silent retweeter - but after the chilling scene… https://t.co/87jf0OK4jx— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569501810
even comprehend it in a modern society. This isn’t funny any more. Whatever egotistical game Boris Johnson has been… https://t.co/h6bXRo4HFe— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569501932
This of rising hatred is costing people their lives. I was 17 when Jo Cox was murdered. I just rang my mum, who is… https://t.co/iEStibrlg0— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569501998
I can honestly say my perspective of the world completely changed that day. Before then, my mum’s job was something… https://t.co/krDokF61nt— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502044
and London every week for the first two thirds of my life. It was never something that could get her killed.— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502077
I am scared. I am scared when I scroll through the replies to her tweets calling her a liar and a traitor. I am sca… https://t.co/INiheQCjEh— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502112
I am scared because on the 16th of June 2016, two children said goodbye to their mother before she left for her con… https://t.co/uv7vNADzQL— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502147
Because she is trying her best to help people. To make their lives better. Even if we disagree with our politicians… https://t.co/fAg7lRIjKc— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502176
Of course Brexit is contentious. Of course people have strong opinions, opinions that will inevitably come into con… https://t.co/xup8wbPhEW— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502213
say “Yes I want to deliver Brexit, but regardless of my position, this inflammatory and aggressive language needs t… https://t.co/BOu142hGaA— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502239
Or you will be responsible for putting other people’s lives at risk. Surely you can raise your head out of the sa… https://t.co/OX1XLpvb6z— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502301
This whole thing has gone too far. When people start getting hurt is the moment that we should step back and ask if… https://t.co/6Avr05SZek— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502337
This whole thing has gone too far. When people start getting hurt is the moment that we should step back and ask if… https://t.co/6Avr05SZek— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502337
Why has this become a matter of life and death? Does someone have to die for us all to realise that we have gotten… https://t.co/z0BCNtc0BH— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502354
The thing is, someone already has died. Do we not have the decency and compassion to see that? Can we not all just… https://t.co/hBhzEm0XFD— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502401
Because I’m terrified if we don’t that something awful is going to happen again. At this rate, that seems like the… https://t.co/8nISuF6375— Ellie Cooper (@Ellie Cooper) 1569502478
Keep reading...Show less