Introduction
Politics should never creep into the realms of hate. Your political views should always be respected, provided they don’t cause deep offence or incite a red mist of malice. I am a Labour Party member and supporter and have been for many years, but just because someone supports another party doesn’t make them a wrong person. So, it breaks my heart when I hear about cases of politicians who are injured or killed for just doing their job. No politician should have to have security, wear a stab vest or fear holding constituency surgeries. We live in a democracy and shouldn’t be scared to walk down the street.
A Despicable Act
The death of the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox, in 2016 was the most heinous crime. An innocent wife and mother who was shot and stabbed multiple times in the village street of Birstall before holding a constituency surgery. Her death was caused just because she campaigned on issues surrounding the Syrian Civil War and chaired the all-party parliamentary group Friends for Syria. Thomas Mair, a man who had far-right views, took offence to her stance and felt they had the right to take her life. He was subsequently arrested, charged and imprisoned after a trial, given a life sentence.
Her death is not an isolated case. Sir Anthony Berry and Ian Gow were both killed by the IRA, and Sir David Amess was also killed at his Southend constituency surgery by Ali Harbi Ali, an Islamic extremist. These were victims who never deserved this fate and had their lives taken before their natural end. Politics should always be about protecting and enhancing society and should never cross the line. I disagree with the politics of the Reform Party and Nigel Farage, but throwing a milkshake over him or a piece of concrete on the election trail is just wrong. We can not let rage go down this avenue, and if it is not kept in check, it could lead to disastrous results, as we have seen in these isolated cases.
Whipping up this hatred is all too evident in the Middle East and the USA. Trump and others have all been instigators of this, and it is frankly deplorable. We must all live in a fair, peaceful and equal society, which must always be upheld. Political turbulence causes unrest and unsavoury views to fester. In this time of a general election in the UK, tensions rise and tempers fray. Political colours become a sense of identity, and opponents and the media constantly vilify others. It’s a hard tide to turn and won’t subside until we know the election results. A result that could again change not only the political landscape but also new policies and legislation over the next five years.
