Labour Member of Parliament Jess Phillips has been called a “traitor” after tweeting that she is not worried about British loss of sovereignty to the European Union (EU). She has refused to apologise for the remark, instead insisting that Britain still retains power despite ceding sovereignty to a foreign bloc.
The tweet came during an exchange on Britain’s membership of the European Union prompted by a tweet by Ms Phillips, in which she claimed to be planning to vote to remain in the EU because her brother lives in France.
Fellow Twitter users ridiculed her suggestion, with one saying: “The UK should be run by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels because your brother has a nice cottage in Provence? Great analysis.”
Another wrote: “haha don’t worry about the loss of sovereignty as long as your brother is ok”
Ms Phillips chippily replied that her brother actually lived in a mining town in Northern France, then added: “also sovereignty doesn’t worry me”.
The tweet prompted fury, with some even suggesting Ms Phillips should be tried for treason for her flagrant dismissal of British sovereignty, while others simply quoted Benjamin Franklin:
But Ms Phillips is unrepentant and has dismissed the critics, saying “You’d have all believe [sic] we have no power.”
Last September Ms Phillips was named by Breitbart London as the 94th most influential left winger. Iain Dale, who compiled the list remarked: “Phillips is going to be one of the characters of the new Parliament.” His prediction has certainly proved accurate as the Birmingham Yardley MP has scarcely been out of the headlines ever since.
In November she was criticised for rudely mocking a suggestion by a male colleague that Parliament set aside some time to debate issues which affect men, such as the high rate of suicide among young men in particular.
Ms Phillips “interrupted proceedings by loudly busting into laughter, covering her face with her hands,” Breitbart London reported at the time. Her colleague responded: “I’m not entirely sure why it’s so humorous.”
She then claimed to be the “victim” of a “violent hate campaign” when the public took to Twitter to criticise her stance.
She hit headlines again in January thanks to an appearance on Question Time in which she dismissed the Cologne New Year sex attacks as being “very similar” to an average night in central Birmingham “where women are baited and heckled.”
In fact, more complaints of sexual abuse, including gang rape, were lodged during the one single night in Cologne than had been recorded in Birmingham for the whole of the year.
Her comments prompted outraged constituents to call for her resignation.
And on Saturday she again inspired anger when she accused the Prime Minister David Cameron of “colluding with child abusers” by blocking plans by cabinet ministers to introduce compulsory sex education even when it goes against the wishes of parents.
She later told the Independent on Sunday that she did not regret the the comment, saying: “This is benign neglect rather than malign neglect. I don’t think David Cameron wants children to be abused, but it is the same result. It’s neglect and collusion whether or not he means to do it.”
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