Reform councillor hits back in RNLI migrant row
BBCA Reform UK councillor has said he has received "extreme abuse" after an MP criticised his stance on the RNLI's role in rescuing migrants.
RNLI volunteers faced online abuse, while Portsmouth's lifeboat station has been closed, after a protest on 6 September at Eastney following a Channel small boat crossing.
Southampton Itchen Labour MP Darren Paffey accused Reform's Hampshire leader George Madgwick of lobbying against the RNLI and described his stance as "incomprehensible".
Madgwick said RNLI members "should never be personally attacked" but he did not "politically or morally agree" with the charity's role in picking up migrants. He said he had since been "assigned security".
Following the demonstration, some RNLI crew members were subsequently targeted by protesters, sharing their photos and names in posts on social media accusing them of treason.
Paffey accused Madgwick of saying people should "lobby against RNLI" and "withdraw your support and funding" for the charity, which has its headquarters in Poole, Dorset, in the aftermath of the abuse of the crew members.
He said Madgwick was not "fit to lace the boots of a single brave RNLI volunteer".
But in a letter to the MP on Monday, Madgwick - who sits on Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council - insisted he was "not starting, leading or operating a Lobby group against the RNLI".
"The RNLI staff, who are dispatched to sea, are some of the most brave and admirable people. They should never be personally attacked for doing their duty and work," Madgwick added.
"Personally I do not politically or morally agree that the RNLI should be assisting, in the English Channel, to bring undocumented people trying to enter our country via illegal methods, using criminal organisations."
He said he had been the subject of "extreme abuse" since Paffey's post.
"I have received countless messages being incredibly threatening and abusive, to the extent I have now been assigned security myself," he stated.
He later clarified the security was being provided by a local private company who "reached out to offer support after seeing the abuse and threats online".
Responding to Madgwick's letter, Paffey said: "Mr Madgwick may understandably regret the reception to his widely-derided words but he might want to spend less time trying to paint himself as a victim."
He said the Reform leader should "instead offer some long overdue public words of support to our brave RNLI crews and volunteers".
Several police, coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged during the protest on 6 September, police said. A small number of officers were treated for injuries at the scene.
During the incident, the RNLI said it also helped to ensure the safety of anti-migrant protesters who had entered the sea off Portsmouth.
RNLI chief executive Peter Sparkes later hit out at the abuse of volunteers, describing it as "wholly unacceptable in a civilised society".
He said there had been "deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding" about the charity and condemned threats by "those who would hide behind a balaclava or a keyboard".
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy last week also called on social media firms to act after after lifeboat crews were subjected to doxxing and online abuse.
