Greater Manchester Police have been accused of behaving like East Germany's feared Stasi secret police for quizzing Grandmother Helen Jones over her calls for the resignation of local councillors embroiled in the Labour WhatsApp scandal.
Labour MP Andrew Gwynne has been sacked from his Health minister role and suspended from the party after the Mail on Sunday revealed his involvement in a string of offensive and abusive WhatsApp messages.
Labour MP for Burnley Oliver Ryan has been suspended from the Labour Party following his involvement in the same WhatsApp group as Mr Gwynne.
The Daily Mail quotes Ms Jones as saying: "'It was actually quite scary. It made me think I best just keep quiet for the rest of my life, because you just can't say anything these days'.
Iain Duncan Smith:
Thoughtless thought police. The police action on this is pathetic and a complete waste of police time. It's absurd that they went to speak to her. They should have dismissed it on the spot.
Knock knock, it's the Thought Police: As thousands of criminals go un-investigated, detectives call on a grandmother. Her crime? She went on Facebook to criticise Labour councillors at the centre of the 'Hope you Die' WhatsApp scandal exposed by the MoS @MailOnline.
-- Ian Duncan smith
The Free Speech Union posted:
Greater Manchester Police fails to solve 75% of shoplifting cases—yet two officers found time to visit a grandmother over a Facebook post criticising Labour politicians. No further action was taken, but the chilling effect of the knock on the door is clear.
-- The Free Speech Union
Reform MP Richard Tice said:
Come out, it's the thought police
Greater Manchester Police will not visit you about a burglary
… but if you post something on Facebook questioning Labour, in come two officers to tell you off
Disgraceful assault on free speech under two tier Keir
-- Richard Tice
Reform MP Lee Anderson posted:
Starmers Britain.
There are thousands of unsolved criminal cases in the UK including over 1,000 unsolved murders.
But have no fear as in Starmers Britain the boys in blue will be straight round if you upset folk on Facebook.
Bring back DCI Gene Hunt, that's what I say.
--Lee Anderson
https://twitter.com/MPIainDS/status/1893618870910406859
https://twitter.com/SpeechUnion/status/1893586600019587310
https://twitter.com/TiceRichard/status/1893584598275146188
https://twitter.com/LeeAndersonMP_/status/1893552784710008853
