The constituency office of the Labour MP Angela Eagle has been vandalised following the launch of her campaign to unseat Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the party.
Merseyside police said they attended Eagle’s constituency office in the Liscard area of Wallasey, Merseyside, on Tuesday and were investigating a report of criminal damage.
A spokesperson for Eagle said a brick had been thrown through the window of the office either overnight or on Tuesday morning.
Police said a members meet-and-greet and Q&A in a Luton hotel scheduled for Tuesday night had been relocated after staff received threats.
“Police were informed and have offered protection for the event. Angela is continuing with the visit as planned,” said a spokesperson. Pro-Corbyn protesters picketed the new venue.
Eagle called on Corbyn to rein in his supporters, saying attacks such as the vandalising of her office were “being done in his name, and he needs to get control of the people who are supporting him and make certain that this behaviour stops and stops now. It is bullying. It has absolutely no place in politics in the UK and it needs to end.”
On Monday Eagle formally launched her bid to replace Corbyn as Labour leader, describing herself as “a strong Labour woman” who could heal divisions in the party and lead it to election victory.
Last week more than three-quarters of Labour MPs – 172 – backed a motion of no confidence in Corbyn’s leadership, while 40 voted in favour of him. The Labour leader responded by saying he had the support of Labour members and he was going nowhere.
Angela Eagle MP's constituency office in Manor Road, Liscard, where a brick was thrown at the windows this morning pic.twitter.com/a5taRehMz3
— Lorna Hughes (@lorna_hughes) July 12, 2016
Eagle doubled her majority in Wallasey in the last election, winning more than 60% of the vote, but she faces strong opposition to her leadership challenge from her constituency party, who largely support Corbyn. She is likely to face a vote of no confidence at a local party meeting on 22 July.
On Monday morning Paul Davies, the Wallasey constituency Labour party vice-chair, told the BBC that 360 new members had joined the local party since 24 June. “I don’t think we have ever had that many entryists, even back in the old heydays of the militants,” he said. “Are there 500,000 entryists in the Labour party? Well, if so … that’s democracy.”
Bernie Mooney, a local councillor and Eagle supporter, said: “Someone put a brick through the window last night. At the side of Angela’s office there is a massive window from the floor to the top with six or seven panes and it’s broken one of them. They had come up the side of the building. There are three or four businesses in here as well as Angela’s office.”
Helen Osgood, a senior caseworker in Eagle’s constituency office, said staff had arrived for work to find the window broken, and they had been getting threats of violence.
“The police are here. They’re going to look at our security measures because I think we need to have increased security measures,” she told the Liverpool Echo. “I think that all of this violence needs to stop. We can’t live in a society that’s divided by hatred like this. I’m calling for people to stop this violence and the bad behaviour and let’s just get behind whatever leader you choose.”
In a statement, Corbyn said the incident was “extremely concerning” and that he had also been subjected to threats.
“As someone who has also received death threats this week and previously, I am calling on all Labour party members and supporters to act with calm and treat each other with respect and dignity, even where there is disagreement,” he said.
“I utterly condemn any violence or threats, which undermine the democracy within our party and have no place in our politics.”
Meanwhile, the Manchester Gorton constituency Labour party has been suspended following claims of bullying, intimidation and voting impropriety. A Labour source said infighting in the Gorton CLP had been ongoing even before Corbyn became leader.
One member said the fact that the local MP, Gerald Kaufman, 86, was unwell and unlikely to stand for re-election had caused some members to start manoeuvring for control of the local party.
