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Lib Dem MP standing down because of abuse reveals she received email calling her a 'baby killer'

MP Heidi Allen joins Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan and women impacted by Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws on Westminster Bridge in London to demand legislative change.
Heidi Allen is quitting politics after receiving a 'particularly nasty' email (PA)

Liberal Democrat MP Heidi Allen has revealed she received an email accusing her of killing a baby after speaking out about having an abortion.

Ms Allen, who left the Tories to set up The Independent Group before leading Change UK and then defecting to the Lib Dems, announced this week that she will not be standing in the forthcoming general election.

Announcing her decision earlier this week, Ms Allen had said she was "exhausted by the invasion into my privacy and the nastiness and intimidation that has become commonplace".

The South Cambridgeshire MP, who gave an emotional speech in the House of Commons last year about her "incredibly hard decision" to have a termination, revealed today she received an email accusing her of "killing a baby”.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "I had a particularly nasty email last week.

"And I thought - do you know what, nobody in their working place should have to put up with this.”

Change UK interim leader Heidi Allen speaks during a pro EU-party Change UK rally at Church House in Westminster, London, Tuesday April 30, 2019. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)
Ms Allen led Change UK before defecting to the Lib Dems (AP)

Asked about the content of the email, she said: "It was about me killing a baby because I'd had an abortion.”

She added: "You are attacked on a daily basis, on email, on social media, people shout at you in the street, it's become absolutely vile.”

Her experience comes after pregnant Labour MP Stella Creasy was targeted by anti-abortion campaigners, who plastered a billboard of an aborted foetus in her Walthamstow constituency.

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The billboard, that was later removed, was put up after MPs approved an amendment by Ms Creasy to extend abortion rights to Northern Ireland.

In 2018, Ms Allen spoke of how she was ill when she made the decision to have an abortion, during the debate on reforming the law in the region.

Boris Johnson has been criticised for his “inflammatory comments” in Parliament over claims that MPs receive death threats.

Stella Creasy MP speaks during the 'Wooferendum March' in central London where dog owners and their pets have gathered to demand a new Brexit referendum.
Labour MP Stella Creasy was also targeted by anti-abortion campaigners (PA)

The Prime Minister was blasted by Labour MP Paula Sherriff, who told him: “We should not resort to using offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language for legislation that we do not like and we stand here under the shield of our departed friend with many of us in this place subject to death threats and abuse every single day.

“And let me tell the Prime Minister that they often quote his, words Surrender Act, betrayal, traitor, and I for one am sick of it.”

Mr Johnson went on to describe her comments as “humbug”.

In a letter to her constituents on Tuesday, committed Remainer Ms Allen said Brexit has "broken our politics", adding: "I became an MP because I wanted to make a difference, but while Brexit continues to captivate Parliament, that just hasn't been possible.”

Her South Cambridgeshire constituency is traditionally a safe Conservative seat which she held with a majority of almost 16,000 at the 2017 general election.

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