Yorkshire lawyer apologises after calling for MP to be "dragged through the streets" and "lynched"

Andrew Lindsay who practises in York and runs his own consultancy firm Representation UK, made the comments about Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald in a since-deleted post on his own LinkedIn page, before re-posting it as a comment beneath a post by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.

Referring to the comments in the House of Commons on Monday, McDonald drew attention to local media quoting Conservative politicians on Teesside, including Ben Houchen and Sir Simon Clarke, who had personally blamed him for the decision that’s apparently been made by a company to take a new factory to Tyneside rather than Teesside.

Mr Lindsay had said that if any jobs on Teesside were lost as a result of Andy McDonald describing the redevelopment of the former Redcar steelworks site as harbouring “industrial scale corruption”, that he should be “dragged through the streets of Teesside and lynched.”

After speaking in the Commons, Mr McDonald later confirmed that Lindsay had “unreservedly & unequivocally apologised” after recognising “the hurt caused to my family and me.”

He also said that Mr Lindsay had made a donation to the Jo Cox Foundation. The charity was set up in honour of the murdered Batley and Spen MP and focuses on issues that were close to Cox’s heart, which include community cohesion and, among other things, respect in politics.

After confirming the donation, charity CEO Su Moore said: “People often do not realise the effect that social media posts of this nature have on elected representatives and their families. With two MPs being murdered since 2016, violent comments are an understandable source of distress and concern for MPs and their loved ones.

“We are glad to hear that Andy McDonald MP was able to discuss this incident with the individual involved, who apologised and recognised the hurt caused. Through our Jo Cox Civility Commission, we are determined to find practical solutions to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected politicians, which is not sustainable for a healthy democracy.”