Labour MP Carolyn Harris Quits Social Media Amidst Online Abuse Over Appearance

[Social Media]

 

Carolyn Harris, the MP for Swansea East and newly appointed trade envoy to New Zealand, has announced her departure from social media, citing relentless abuse over her appearance rather than her work or political views.  

 

 

Harris, a long-time Labour MP and Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour, made the announcement to her 35,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. "In recent months, I have been monitoring this platform and have been criticised not for my work, my views or my actions but for my gender, the colour of my hair, glasses and even my choice of clothing," she wrote. She concluded, "As of today, I will no longer be monitoring this account."  

 

 

The comments section on her post was disabled, but this did not prevent users from resharing the message and adding their own opinions. Author Peter Lloyd mocked Harris’s exit, writing, "Labour MP Carolyn Harris has announced she's leaving X. How will we cope without her astute, keenly-observed musings on the world?" He included a widely shared image from 2021 in which Harris appeared to be asleep during a parliamentary session.  

 

 

However, not all responses were critical. One user defended Harris, stating, "It is a shame that Carolyn Harris feels she must leave X. Abuse is unacceptable."  

 

Harris has previously spoken about the impact of online trolling, particularly after the 2021 image surfaced. She claimed it had "opened the floodgates" to "relentless abuse," both online and in person, even recounting an incident where someone shouted at her outside her home, "Did you enjoy your snooze?" Harris has firmly denied ever falling asleep in Parliament, stating, "I categorically did not – and would never – go to sleep during any session in work."  

 

Beyond her parliamentary work, Harris is known for her advocacy on women’s health issues. As chair of the UK Menopause Taskforce, she has campaigned for a "national formulary" to ensure menopause-related medications can be prescribed consistently across the country. She has also held roles as Shadow Minister for Safeguarding and Vulnerability from 2016 to 2017 and Junior Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities from 2017 to 2020.  

 

Her resignation from social media comes shortly after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced a new cohort of trade envoys, a cross-party group of 32 MPs and peers tasked with promoting British trade and investment across 79 international markets. However, some of Starmer’s appointments have drawn scrutiny.  

 

Among those named was Labour MP Kate Osamor, who was appointed trade envoy to East Africa. Osamor made headlines in 2020 when she was ordered to apologise to the House of Commons for threatening a journalist, telling them, "I should have come down here with a f****** bat and smashed your face open."  

 

Despite the controversy surrounding some of the appointees, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds defended the programme, stating, "Trade and investment are key to delivering economic growth, the number one mission of this Government and a key part of our Plan for Change. That's why I've launched a new team of Trade Envoys, who will use their experience, expertise and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, drumming up investment into the UK and ultimately driving economic growth."  

 

While Harris’s role as trade envoy is set to continue, her withdrawal from social media highlights the ongoing issue of online harassment faced by public figures, particularly women in politics. Whether her departure from X will shield her from further abuse remains to be seen, but it marks yet another example of how toxic online discourse has driven high-profile individuals away from digital platforms.

 

Based on a report by Daily Mail 2025-02-01