The Liberal Democrat MP Heidi Allen will not stand at the next general election, citing the “nastiness and intimidation” she has endured as a politician as being behind her decision to quit.
The former Tory, who defected to Change UK before joining the Lib Dems on 7 October, said in a letter to her constituents in South Cambridgeshire: “I am exhausted by the invasion into my privacy and the nastiness and intimidation that has become commonplace. Nobody in any job should have to put up with threats, aggressive emails, being shouted at in the street, sworn at on social media, nor have to install panic alarms at home.
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15 Comments
Sad news, Heidi is just the sort of MP parliament needs. I understand her reasons and the issues she raises about intimidation especially of female MPs is very concerning and must be tackled by the next parliament. Heidi – I wish you well in whatever you do next and hope you can continue to support the European cause and progressive politics through other means
Shame. The thugs are winning.
I’ve a soft spot for Heidi and I was gutted to hear this. That said she’s had 5 different political designations in a year which suggests some turbulence so perhaps she’s just had enough. She’s politically talented and if she’s not comp!etely burned out by party politics she’d make an interesting peer in a chamber that is gender and age unbalanced. I wish her well regardless.
Who will be standing in South Cambridgeshire?
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I (literally) bumped into Heidi Allen as I was leaving a Cambridgeshire pub with an old University friend and our wives while in the area for a college alumni event. In fact, I think it was the pub she used to own/manage. I recognised her straight away and uttered the rather crass greeting “Heidi Allen! Give my regards to Boris”. I agree that we have reached a sad place if people like her feel that they cannot go on. I wish her every success in the future.
Very sad to hear this. She was/is a great asset to our party.
A sad reflection on what post-Ref UK has become.
This is sad news. I do hope that Heidi remains in the party and finds a worthwhile role.
Threats of violence are unacceptable, but a politician who has changed parties more than once since being elected, but has avoided giving the public a chance to vote on any of her new allegiances, is, when faced with an actual election, doing a runner. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
Mark Seaman: You say “Threats of violence are unacceptable,” then write something that implies they ARE acceptable in certain circumstances (like when a politician switches parties mid-term),
“Threats of violence are unacceptable.” FULL STOP
““Threats of violence are unacceptable.” FULL STOP”
Seconded
Thirded.
Fourthed.
“doing a runner”?
That’s a truly pathetic remark.
My, how much triggering has one post managed ? I utterly refute any view that I have implied that violence is acceptable, and confirm my stated view that anyone who has resorted to such threats that is seriously out of line. MPs cannot, however, expect to have a nice genteel interaction with the public if they betray certain basic principles. The idea that the public vote to elect an individual, sans manifesto commitments or party loyalty: gives the go ahead for massive and cynical attempts by groups to infiltrate political parties with the intention of switching allegiances once elected. This could hit the Lib Dems equally as badly as any other party. It should be mandatory to force a by-election if such changes occur, but as past swaps have favoured the Lib Dems this danger has been mostly ignored. Douglas Carswell at least had the honour to force a by-election.