MP Sorcha Eastwood speaks out after being told she 'should be hung from a lamppost'

Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood has spoken out following a number of threats on social media after she was targeted by the Tate brothers.

The MP had participated in a debate in the House of Commons about violence against women when she was subjected to an onslaught of abuse, including being told that she should be hung from a lamppost, chopped into liver and raped. Sorcha Eastwood said that the Tate brothers began to reply to her after she posted about Elon Musk.

Speaking to Sky News, Sorcha Eastwood said: "I couldn't believe that they decided to pick this random Northern Irish MP. The fact that it wasn't even about them. This is something I didn't go looking for.

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"I think, from my perspective, it's a very, very sinister attempt to shut down important voices in public life, political discourse."

The Lagan Valley MP will bring a Parliamentary debate to the House of Commons on Thursday, April 3, which will call for the UK Government to review the age of consent for social media, introduce financial sanctions for companies which push harmful content and establish robust legislation to tackle the worst of social media.

"I had rape threats. I had death threats. I had people saying I should be hung from a lamppost. I had people saying I should be chopped into liver. I also had people then who were like we'll waste 15 minutes raping Sorcha Eastwood," she continued.

"If this is what has happened to me, I have absolutely no doubt that this has happened to others where they have been attempted to be silenced.

"I think, ultimately, the government has taken the wrong course on this. They need to step up.

"This should be an issue of national security as far as the radicalisation of young people online. It should be an issue in terms of the levels of misinformation, disinformation and the lack of trust that is had in our politics right across the UK and Europe.

"I want the government to help me, help every other person to crack down on this and get serious about it. And the only way they'll be able to do that, is by hitting these tech companies in the only language which they understand, which is money and via robust legislation."

A representative for the Tate brothers told Sky News that there was no targeted campaign against her.

They said: "Ms Eastwood has a distorted view regarding social media if she believes one is required to 'invite or ask' people to interact.

"Tristan Tate is entitled to his view in relation to her tweet regarding Elon Musk."

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