…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
UK Shadow Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard has said that victims of abuse and bullying are not being protected by Westminster, describing it as an unsafe place to work.
Speaking on GB News, Pollard claimed that the Commons is the most unprofessional workplace he has ever experienced, with a culture that does not challenge abuse.
The Plymouth MP also criticised the lack of protection offered to victims, saying too many are let down by a system that does not support them.
Pollard revealed that he would like to see changes made to gun laws in the UK, including a review of outdated regulations and a ban on pump action weapons.
He believes that the incident of mass shooting that took place in his constituency in August 2021 exposed the inadequacies of the system.
Pollard said that the attack, in which one third of eyewitnesses were children, has had a huge impact on the local community.
He criticised Devon and Cornwall Police for allowing the perpetrator access to a gun and called for changes to be made to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
Speaking about the impact of the incident on him personally, Pollard said that as an MP he was not prepared for a mass shooting, and that he asked Keir Starmer if he could step back from his Shadow Cabinet role to focus on supporting his constituents.
Pollard, who is openly gay, also spoke about his own experiences of abuse in politics, revealing that his constituency office had been vandalised twice, with one incident involving branding him as a paedophile.
The MP, who has announced he is stepping back from politics after being diagnosed with skin cancer, also criticised the level of abuse online, describing it as nasty and increasingly normalised.
Pollard expressed his happiness at being engaged to his partner and his desire to start a family. He urged a culture of greater compassion and understanding, even in the face of hate, anger and division.