Leigh MP warns of trolls trying to manipulate debate

The Labour MP said there had been a "surge" in abusive comments on her posts, while urging people to keep political disagreements respectful.

Ms Platt said people were free to "disagree" with her and "challenge my views", but warned that those posting abuse, insults and name-calling would be blocked.

She also claimed some of the comments appeared to have come from bots or troll accounts.

Leigh MP Jo Platt (Image: Nikki Powell)

In a post on Facebook, she singled out one commenter apparently based in Massachusetts in the US.

She wrote: "Why someone in Massachusetts would be so interested in a local political page is anyone's guess."

Ms Platt did not provide evidence in the post proving that the accounts were bots or that they were deliberately being used to manipulate political debate.

She added that the comments were not necessarily all coming from outside the area.

"That's not to say there aren't local people using the same language," she said.

"All I'd ask is that you don't fall for bots and trolls trying to manipulate the debate and effectively wind people up."

She ended the post by calling for discussions to remain focused on political issues.

"Let's keep the discussion respectful and focused on the issues," she said.

It is not the first time Ms Platt has spoken publicly about abuse directed at people in public life.

While an MP during her previous spell in Parliament, she raised concerns in the Commons about online abuse and intimidation.

In January 2018, she told MPs she had been sent a screenshot of an abusive Facebook comment directed at the female chief executive of Wigan Council and asked what action the Government would take to ensure women in public office felt safe.

The previous year, during a Commons debate on abuse and intimidation of election candidates, another MP said Ms Platt had received abuse and harassment when she was a councillor and had eventually installed CCTV at her home.