A Labour MP was forced to apologise over several tweets including an alleged one in which she told how she gave a drunk homeless man who barged into her in London’s Covent Garden a “massive elbow to the ribs”.
Lauren Edwards, the recently elected MP for Rochester and Strood, issued a statement saying she “deeply regrets” a series of tweets she made more than 10 years ago after the posts resurfaced on social media.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Edwards said she had made a “significant error of judgement”.
The posts appeared to have been taken down.
But one reportedly said: “Annoyed - card shop was shut and then drunk homeless man deliberately barged me in Cov Gdn.
“Big mistake, gave him massive elbow to the ribs.”
She made remarks about Estonians, a halal restaurant and Parliamentary cleaners in the now-deleted posts dated between 2009-2011.
In one post, Ms Edwards wrote: “I want these f****** Estonian retards out of my flat now!”
Another post, which appeared to be responding to an account called Baroness Wrenthorpe, said: “Baroness Wrenthorpe text me from Walthamstow to say he’s seen a halal Pakistani Chinese Grill place. Hope he’s not suggesting we go there.”
Elsewhere, Ms Edwards also tweeted: “Are the cleaners on recess too? My desk has so many coffee rings it looks like Saturn.”
The Labour Party are understood to be undertaking their normal disciplinary procedures.
Between 2008 and 2013, Ms Edwards worked as a parliamentary researcher for Labour MPs including Barbara Keeley, Teresa Pearce and Lisa Nandy.
On Thursday, Ms Edwards said: “I have recently been made aware of a small number of tweets that I posted on Twitter from over a decade ago, which I now deeply regret.
“They were a significant error of judgement on my part, and I apologise wholeheartedly.
“Since becoming a local councillor and more recently an MP, I have seen first-hand the importance of bringing communities together and working with tolerance and respect for all in our society.
“I pledge to use my platform to continue that important work and dedicate myself to serving all residents of Rochester and Strood.”
Ms Edwards was elected as an MP at the General Election in July with 15,403 votes.
Her predecessor, former Tory MP Kelly Tolhurst, said she was “shocked and concerned by the views held by” Ms Edwards.
In a post on X, she added: “She had no concern airing them publicly when working for a Labour MP, only deleting them after public pressure. Holding these divisive and unpleasant views she now represents our towns and community.”
