Today we reveal the shocking scale of abuse our MPs have to face.
Incredibly, 51 of them have had to call in cops during the last 12 months.
Some talk of abuse on a daily basis, death threats, hate mail, vile messages to their staff and families. Being an MP is a tough job.
Of course, it’s well-rewarded - but not as well-rewarded as private industry.
And if we want to encourage the best and the brightest into politics the least we can do is make sure they’re safe.
Our exclusive polling shows 70 per cent of us believe tougher sentences should apply for attacks on MPs in the course of their work.
That would help.
But it’s not going to tackle the root of the problem. We need to look at what fuels these attacks.
It’s pretty obvious when you look around.
Every day, violent videos full of hateful images and warped ideologies are made, uploaded, shared. It has to stop.
One of the joys of social media is that people are free to share and exchange ideas.
But that comes with a dark side.
No-one wants to see these sites turned into online police states, but it is time they were properly regulated.
And time social media companies took responsibility for what goes on their platforms. That will help.
But ultimately, the only thing that is going to really change things is changing the way we conduct ourselves, not just in politics but in society as a whole.
This was supposed to be a kinder, gentler age. Looking at some of the content posted every minute of every day, it feels a long way from kind and gentle.
