Camden union officer criticised after calling for ‘old ladies to beat up Tory MPs’
Unison HQ in Euston Road - Credit: Archant
Bosses at Camden Unison have urged staff to be more cautious while using social media after a health and safety officer made a post on Facebook suggesting he supported Conservative MPs being beaten up by elderly ladies.
Phil Lewis, who works for Unison at Camden Council, made the comments on a Crouch End Labour Facebook page last month.
Posting a story about a south London MP who was hit by a pensioner angry about the Coalition’s changes to the NHS, he wrote: “Hopefully the first of many!”
Mr Lewis insisted the comment was “light hearted” and in response to an “amusing anecdote about an old lady swinging her handbag at a Tory MP”.
But his bosses at Unison suggested the comment was one step too far.
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George Binette, branch secretary of Camden Unison, said: “It’s clear he’s not calling for Tory MPs to be assaulted but it might be in his own best interest to delete the comment.
“I wouldn’t have posted it myself - but maybe the thought would have run through my head.
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“That’s the challenge of using social media, I guess.”
Mr Lewis refused to apologise for the comment.
