Diane Abbott : I have gone through Abusive and racist comments

The shadow home secretary told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that her staff try not to let her walk around her Hackney constituency on her own, such is the level of hate.

MP Diane Abbott has spoken at length about the vicious sexist and racist abuse she receives on a daily basis, saying that the internet has played a part in the increase in recent years.

Describing some of the vile insults she receives via email, Twitter and Facebook, she explained how the abuse is repeatedly fixated on her race, gender and weight: “We are talking about mindless abuse, and in my case the mindless abuse has been characteristically racist and sexist.

 I have gone through Abusive and racist comments

Ms Abbott said the abuse has included being called "a b****, a n*****, rape threats, people saying I should be hanged and it reached a particular pitch in the last few weeks".

And Ms Diane Abbott, who was the first black woman elected to Parliament, said she fears the abuse could become physical.

She continued forcefully: “I accept that male politicians can get abuse too, but I hope the one thing we can agree on in this chamber is that it’s much worse for women.

She said on her Twitter feed that the abuse she’d discussed in the debate was not more prevalent in one party than another.