But the more appalling spectacle is pro-Brexit protesters outside parliament harassing and intimidating MPs, obstructing their paths and hurling abuse. The tactic is to provoke reaction, capture the scene on video and package it as an act of heroic defiance. A worrying trend is for that decline in political culture to cross into the real world, making public space less safe. Reversing that tide is not just a matter of preventing bad behaviour by a few thugs. Everyone who practises politics in all of its various styles, from the Commons chamber to the street corner, has a responsibility to respect limits of decency and treat opponents with civility.

Source: The Guardian January 09, 2019 18:25 UTC