Hackney Green Party deplores the comments made by the former Liberal Democrat Candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, and expresses concerns about the allegations regarding the Labour candidate in the Clissold byelection.

We commend the Liberal Democrats for withdrawing their nomination in Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Candidates and elected representatives must serve as a model. That means political parties taking on the bigots, the bullies and harassers in their own organisations and ensuring their selection process reflects the best of our community.

Politics in Britain has become dominated by violent, aggressive and threatening language. MPs, particularly women, LGBT, people with a disability and people of colour, face a constant torrent of abuse via social media. Those of us who are elected representatives, candidates, members and supporters of political parties have to lead by example.