Tory MPs defiant after receiving 'vile and abusive' emails over Boris support
Labour has been accused of "whipping the public into a frenzy" over partygate, after Tory MPs revealed they were targeted with abusive emails after backing Boris Johnson.
Conservative MPs across the region are continuing to defend the PM, who faces an inquiry that he misled parliament after initially claiming no lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.
A Labour motion to refer Mr Johnson to the Privileges Committee went through yesterday after the Government scrapped plans to order Tory MPs to vote against it.
By that time Mr Johnson – who is on a state visit to India – had already given his backing for the probe, which is expected to take place once investigations by the Met Police and civil servant Sue Gray have finished.
In the Black Country, Labour's move has been branded "cheap politicking" by Conservative MPs, who said they had received "vile and abusive" emails over their support of the PM.
Wolverhampton South West MP, Stuart Anderson, said the language used by Sir Keir Starmer and other Labour MPs was inflaming public anger over the issue.
"Labour are playing dangerous political games," said Mr Anderson, who missed the debate as he was elsewhere in parliament on a NATO visit.
"I have received abusive emails, and Conservative MPs have been threatened with 'attack literature' if they support the PM.
"Well I've been threatened before and it will not work. The Prime Minister has said he is happy for an inquiry to take place once the full facts are known and until that time that should be the end of the matter."
During the debate Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh reminded the House that two MPs had been killed in recent years, and hit out at opposition parties for using inflammatory language such as calling the Prime Minister a liar.
Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said: "After the deaths of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess we heard a lot about the importance of politicians choosing their words carefully.
"Now we have Labour using this issue to whip the public into a frenzy, which is currently being reflected with some of the the vile and abusive emails in my inbox.
"The fact is that Labour have nothing to say on policy and this is all they have to talk about. They are scared of Boris."
Jane Stevenson, Conservative MP for Wolverhampton North East, said she welcomed the Prime Minister's comments on the probe.
"Parliament's job is to scrutinise so it's no surprise we will investigate this when we have all the information," she said.
"Labour tabling a motion was a bit of cheap politicking to get in early. It's right the police investigation should be completed before this comes to Parliament when we have the full facts."
Dudley South MP Mike Wood also accused Labour of electioneering. He said: "This was clearly a political stunt ahead of the local elections rather than a serious attempt to uncover the truth.
"It is right that the Privileges Committee will look at this based on the evidence, rather than people simply jumping to conclusions depending on whether or not they like the Prime Minister."
