Friend of Jo Cox told she would be found ‘dead in a ditch’ if she does not deliver Brexit

MP Jess Phillips with the death threat she received posted to Twitter. Photograph: PA/Twitter. - Credit: Archant

In a sign of a further poisoning of the atmosphere surrounding Brexit, one Labour MP has been told she would be found ‘dead in a ditch’ if she does not support it.

Jess Phillips tweeted the anonymous letter she received at her constituency office shortly after Boris Johnson stood up to dismiss claims about the language he used in the House of Commons.

In the tweet, she wrote that [10 Downing Street] “might think we are being ‘humbugs’ about his words but they are literally being used in death threats to me”.

The letter referenced Boris Johnson claiming that he “would rather be found dead in a ditch” than request a Brexit extension.

The anonymous writer told the MP: “That is what will happen to those who do not deliver Brexit.”

Phillips was fuming about Johnson’s blasé attitude towards the murder of Jo Cox’s death in the House of Commons when she appeared on ITV’s Peston programme.

“For him to use the memory of my dead friend to try and hammer home one more time his point…

“The only person who has surrendered is Boris Johnson and he has surrendered his morality.

“It just beggars belief.”

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In the House of Commons Phillips told Johnson to act with “some humility and contrition” following the Supreme Court ruling.

“I know that the prime minister wants to appear as a strong man, but the strongest thing he could do that would look the best to this country at the moment is to act with some humility and contrition. The difference between the prime minister and me — there are many differences — is that if the Labour Party had done this, I would be ashamed. I would be sorry that the Labour Party had been found to do this.

“I say to the prime minister that this looks horrendous to the public. He thinks he speaks for the people, but it will look much better if he rises to his feet now and says, ‘I am sorry. I got this wrong.’ Let’s try honesty.”

Johnson responded: “I accept the judgment of the Supreme Court. However, I also say to the honourable lady in all candour that the humblest and most responsible thing we could all do as parliamentarians is show that we respect the judgment of the people and take this country out on 31st October.”