A Labour MP has said she has been subjected to death threats and online misogynistic abuse after a video was shared by a Conservative MP about her position on a national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Anna Dixon, the MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire, said police were investigating the threats and accused the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore, of disseminating “misinformation” about her stance on the issue.
Moore posted a video on Wednesday on social media with the caption: “Shipley’s Labour MP Anna Dixon is ‘misleading public’ on grooming gangs inquiry.
“Anna is telling constituents she voted against an inquiry because it was a ‘political stunt’. But a closer look at the facts shows Anna has been dismissing calls for an inquiry since day one.”
Dixon denies the claims and said she only voted against a Tory proposal for a national inquiry into grooming gangs because it included an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill. She also rebutted suggestions that she opposes a Bradford district focus as part of the inquiry.
Moore said he condemns threats of violence but said the video he posted “raises legitimate concerns” about Dixon’s position on a grooming gangs inquiry in Bradford.
In a statement on Saturday Dixon said: “I want local residents to be aware that I have received threats of death and violence directly posted in response to a misleading video recently shared by the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore.
“These have been reported to the police, and an investigation is currently under way. It is irresponsible behaviour for any MP of any party to put out such blatant misinformation about a colleague.”
Dixon added: “I have always been transparent and direct with constituents about my reasons for voting in favour of the government’s children’s wellbeing and schools bill in January 2025, and I am disturbed by Robbie Moore’s seeming willingness to spread misinformation on this scale with his constituents and beyond, particularly when it pertains to such a serious issue.
“In January, the Conservative party put forward a proposal for a national inquiry into grooming gangs by introducing a wrecking amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill. If this amendment had passed, it would have effectively killed the bill, which aimed to enhance safeguards for children.
“I am also shocked by the claim made in the video shared by Robbie Moore that I would oppose a Bradford district focus as part of a national inquiry into grooming gangs. This is extremely concerning when the video in question features extracts from an email I sent to one of my constituents on 6 August, the full text of which includes the statement: ‘If the national inquiry deems that another local inquiry is needed in Bradford, this is something I and the local authority will fully support.’ He has chosen to omit this from his video.”
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In response, Moore said: “I utterly condemn any threats of violence against elected politicians or anyone in public life … I would urge readers to watch the full video in question, which is not a personal attack and raises legitimate concerns about the MP for Shipley’s public position on a grooming inquiry in Bradford.”
He added: “I recently organised a cross-party letter to the prime minister on this issue, signed by 98 MPs from six different political parties, including Labour. Unfortunately, the MP for Shipley was not one of them.
“We are now in a situation in Bradford where victims and survivors and leading child abuse lawyers are desperately calling for a focus on Bradford in the grooming gangs inquiry, with a sitting Labour peer explicitly saying there has been a cover-up inside Bradford council.
“The fact that the MP for Shipley does not and, from her public comments today, still does not unequivocally support a focus on Bradford in this national inquiry is both a newsworthy and legitimate concern.”