Shropshire Star

Mid Wales MP Glyn Davies reveals election abuse

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies has spoken out about the abuse directed at candidates during the general election.

Published
Glyn Davies

Mr Davies says he had abuse hurled at him while one of his support team was spat at during the latest canvassing.

Candidates less experienced would not have been to shrug it off, he said.

He also revealed that before the election he had even been driven at in a supermarket car park.

Mr Davies said the most disappointing feature of the recent election was the abuse directed at candidates.

"In Montgomeryshire, it was all directed at me. I have been involved in many elections in Montgomeryshire and never seen anything like it before," he said.

"It was deeply offensive and intended to be hurtful. Luckily I've been around long enough to be able to shrug it off in a way someone less experienced would not have been able to. It shouldn't happen."

The MP said that when he arrived at one public meeting he had arranged, there was a 'welcoming party'.

"They chanted 'Tory Pig' as I walked into the meeting. They followed me in. I felt threatened, but tried not to show it as bullies feed on fear.

"Disturbingly, there were young children holding up 'Tory Pig' posters amongst them. It was the first time in my political career I felt it necessary to check under my car for anything that looked suspicious. This should not happen.

"On another occasion a young woman was delivering a leaflet on my behalf in a quiet Montgomeryshire village when she was confronted by an angry man shouting abuse at her. He then resorted to spitting at her. She was still shaking when I met her an hour later. In my view this was assault. It was finally settled by an apology in the local police station. This should not happen either."

Mr Davies said there was also 'barefaced lies' spread on the internet and profanities daubed on his posters.

"Fortunately, Montgomeryshire people were not daft enough to believe them," he added.

"It did not have any impact on me, and probably increased my majority. But it did unsettle members of my family."

He revealed it was not only at election time.

"A while back, a constituent stopped a friend of mine to say the only way to defeat me was to shoot me. Later he drove his vehicle at me in a threatening way on Morrisons car park in Welshpool.

"This personal abuse has little or no impact on experienced candidates. But it certainly discourages young people from thinking about a career in politics. It's becoming worse."