Southport MP Damien Moore has been accused of “heavy-handed censorship” after blocking constituents from his social media accounts and deleting their comments.
The Conservative politician’s behaviour was described as “very unimpressive” after repeated reports of residents being blocked from his Twitter account or their posts on his Facebook page being deleted and then prevented from making further comment.
It comes as the Conservative Party has been accused impeding free speech and “McCarthyite behaviour” after its Chief Whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, wrote to universities asking for a list of tutors lecturing on Brexit. Downing St. was forced to rebuke the Daventry MP insisting he was acting in a personal capacity.
Local resident Greg Myers was one of those affected by Mr Moore’s actions. He says he was barred from the MP’s twitter account after highlighting the politician had failed to turn out for a vote on Universal Credit:
“I asked him if he thought he should be sanctioned for not turning up to vote, as that’s exactly what would happen to claimants if they failed to show up. If so, I suggested it should be six weeks of no hypocrisy and asked could he live like that? It appears to have touched a nerve as he then blocked me from his account.”
After the MP posted a criticism of “Labour-led Sefton Council” on his official Facebook page, comments made in response to him were also deleted Mr Myers revealed:
“I simply pointed out that Sefton had only been Labour-led since 2012 and that from day one had been forced to struggle with the devastating cuts inflicted on it by his party and the Lib-Dems. My reply was deleted and then I was blocked from commenting there as well. As I’m a Labour Party member we will have differing views but this is little more than heavy-handed censorship. Mr Moore appears to have a touch of the Trumps as it is extremely thin-skinned behaviour.”
Others have also complained of being blocked by the MP and it’s led to him being questioned on social media, with local postman Sam Moran tweeting:
“Could we ask why you are banning constituents from your Facebook page. Never swore once, always polite!”
It’s also resulted in those from outside the area like Natalie Meacky using the platform to ask him:
“Hello Damien, I believe you are ignoring and even deleting your constituents queries? What’s the score there like you are supposed to represent the people aren’t you? “
Ross McDonald from Southport says he asked on the MP’s Facebook account why he was deleting comments from others and was then blocked himself:
“I make a point to never swear, never be abusive, always stay on political point and if I have nothing to say, I don’t just comment for the sake of it. I’m not a Labour Party member but I might well become one after this. It’s very unimpressive stuff from your local MP.”
Commentators have now also started lampooning the Conservative politician for his behaviour on social media.
For local Labour volunteer Greg, it is remarkable that a newly-elected MP would treat his constituents in this fashion:
“I can only assume he doesn’t like to be challenged or have issues raised he finds uncomfortable, the simple fact of the matter though is that he is elected to represent all constituents, not just those who agree with him.”
He says he understands that Mr Moore is new to the job and is still unfamiliar with the town but he needs to break out of his “echo chamber”:
“Blocking those who offer alternative viewpoints seems rather churlish at best given his position. As I’m a Labour supporter, the MP might not agree with my views all the time, much like I will disagree with his but at least I’m prepared to contemplate them in order to decide whether to disagree with him. Worryingly, it seems to be a growing trend in Mr Moore’s party but democracy is not best served by politicians who try to stifle debate and remove the voice of those who question them.”
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