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Angela Eagle received advice from counter-terrorism police after challenging Jeremy Corbyn's leadership

The Independent can reveal a message was sent directly to Ms Eagle from police security experts over her safety

Jess Staufenberg

Friday 22 July 2016 14:57 BST

Ms Eagle, 55, has been under constant scrutiny since launching a challenge against Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party, with one man arrested for threatening to kill her (Rex)

Labour MP Angela Eagle was advised by counter-terrorism police to cancel her constituency surgeries or hold them in a more secure location because of the level of abuse she received after trying to challenge Jeremy Corbyn for party leader.

She stopped holding walk-in surgeries on security grounds, citing police concerns, but was subsequently accused of exaggerating their advice.

However The Independent can reveal the contents of a personal message from a counter-terrorism expert at Merseyside Police, which supports her account of events.

The expert said it would be "a good idea to, if possible, to cancel or postpone these surgeries".

It went on to say if that were not possible, police "would recommend a different location be used that can offer some form of access control or security on site".

It also recommended contacting local police officers about "possible disorder" by people who disagree with Ms Eagle.

Many supporters of Mr Corbyn, including members of his grassroots organisation Momentum, have been critical of her and colleague Owen Smith's bid to remove him.

One man has been accused of threatening to kill Ms Eagle, although no links to any one group have been confirmed.

It comes amid heightened concern about MPs' security following the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and ongoing threats to numerous MPs during current Labour leadership debate.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

Show all 11

1/11The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

He called Hezbollah and Hamas ‘friends’

True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups “friends” after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be “part of the debate” for the Middle East peace process. “I use (the word ‘friends’) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk,” he added. “Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No.”

Reuters

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

‘Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy’

Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyn’s original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: “The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy.”

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

He is ‘haunted’ by the legacy of his ‘evil’ great-great-grandfather

False. A Daily Express exposé revealed that the Labour leader’s ancestor, James Sargent, was the “despotic” master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: “I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour.”

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about ‘pigeon bombs’ in Parliament

This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled “pigeon bombs”, proposing that the House register being “appalled but barely surprised” that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: “The House… believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again.” It was not carried.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

He rides a Communist bicycle

False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a “Chairman Mao-style bicycle” earlier this year. “Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao,” he later joked.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews'

False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a “rumour” passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

‘Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army’

False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Rica’s move to abolish it armed forces. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every politician around the world…abolished the army and took pride in the fact that they don’t have an army,” he added. The caveat that “every politician” must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans

False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

He missed the induction into the Queen’s privy council

True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyn’s republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem.

Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials “respect in the proper way”, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn

He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese

True. The group lists its purpose as the following: “To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers.”

Merseyside Police expressed their support for Ms Eagle's decision to cancel the walk-in surgeries, but said media reports that the police themselves "decided" to shut them down were inccurate, as the final decision had been taken by the MP.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Kenwright said: "We have given Ms Eagle advice about her surgeries, at her request, but the decision to cancel surgeries is not a police matter and would lie entirely with them [Ms Eagle and her staff]."

Opponents of Ms Eagle jumped on this statement to claim she had misrepresented the threat to her safety.

Some of those who took to social media to claim the 55-year-old was "lying" had "I support Jeremy Corbyn" banners on their profiles.

A meme also began to circulate which implied the brick thrown through a window at Ms Eagle's constituency office in Wallasey near Liverpool had been a set-up.

A spokesperson for Ms Eagle said the messages and memes were further attempts to intimidate and discredit the centrist MP.

They pointed out that a man has been arrested in Paisley in Scotland for threatening to kill Ms Eagle.

Mr Corbyn has said he stands for a "kinder, gentler politics" and has called for calm between members of the Party and his grassroots supporters.

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