Reform UK councillor shared Facebook post saying Labour MP ‘should be shot’
The Guardian World
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondentFebruary 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A Reform UK councillor sparked controversy by sharing a Facebook post that suggested a Labour MP “should be shot,” drawing criticism and sparking debates about online harassment against politicians. The post included a fake quote misattributed to Natalie Fleet, a Labour MP who has previously spoken about her experience of being groomed and raped as a teenager. The councillor later apologized for the post, which many viewed as threatening and inappropriate.
The incident occurred after the councillor shared a manipulated image of Fleet with the false quote: “I voted against the grooming gang enquiry.” This statement was widely condemned as a malicious attempt to smear Fleet’s reputation. The Labour MP responded by highlighting the alarming normalization of death threats faced by
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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/24/2026