A Greater Manchester MP said he received some of the 'vilest, threatening and homophobic abuse possible' as a result of the comments made by a former minister in the Commons. Chris Clarkson, MP for Heywood and Middleton, accused Chris Bryant of 'specifically' mentioning his sexuality during the bad-tempered five-hour debate.
He argued that as a result of the comments made by the Rhondda MP, the next morning his inbox was 'full of some of the vilest, threatening and homophobic abuse possible'. Mr Bryant denied mentioning Mr Clarkson’s sexuality and claimed to have also received 'plenty' of death threats and 'had the police at my house this week myself'.
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The MPs' heated exchange comes after Mr Bryant told Mr Clarkson he should be ashamed of the Government’s record on LGBT rights during the vote of confidence debate in the Commons. Mr Clarkson said: "On Monday, during the confidence debate, the honourable member for Rhondda, and I have notified him, and he has acknowledged the notification, specifically mentioned my sexuality and told me I should be ashamed to be supporting this Government.
"However, all too predictably, the next morning my inbox was full of some of the vilest, threatening and homophobic abuse possible, specifically referencing the member for Rhondda and saying how much they supported what he said. Now, this isn’t my first experience with senior members of the Labour Party dishing out abuse and then me having to live with the consequences.
"So, can I ask your guidance on how we can ensure that members are mindful of the consequences of the language they use in this chamber?"
Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing said receiving death threats is 'unacceptable and extremely concerning' before reminding MPs that 'all members should employ good temper and moderation at all times, no matter how strongly they feel about a particular matter that is under debate'. Raising a point of order 20 minutes later, Mr Bryant told the chamber he had not been properly notified by the MP for Heywood and Middleton.
He denied referring to Mr Clarkson's sexuality in the debate and claimed to have also received 'plenty' of death threats. Mr Bryant said: "He said that I had referred to his sexuality in the debate. I would never ever do so, nor did I do so, as Hansard records, I did not do so.
"This is simply untrue. I very much hope the honourable member will withdraw the allegation that he has made."
He added: "I of course, wholly abhor and hate the idea that anybody as a result of anything I might say, either in this chamber or anywhere else might have death threats addressed towards them. I have had plenty myself, and I have had the police at my house this week myself, so I wholly deplore that.
"I simply quoted the Conservative government minister for equality when he resigned, who said that he was resigning because the Government was creating a hostile environment for LGBT people in this country."
During the confidence debate on Monday, Mr Bryant said: "They (the Conservatives) deliberately drive wedges between people over gender identity and trans rights and ignore the fact that their own equalities minister resigned because he thought the Government was creating a hostile environment for LGBT people."
The Labour former minister then pointed at Mr Clarkson, who had just finished a speech giving his support to the Government and who is gay, and said: "Which is why he should be ashamed to defend this Government." Mr Clarkson subsequently asked whether pointing at him was in order, but Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winterton said it would have been 'appropriate' for him to try to intervene during Mr Bryant’s speech instead.
Mr Bryant and Mr Clarkson were later seen speaking to each other across the chamber, each telling the other they should be ashamed.
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