Home Office influencer resigns over Palestine Action proscription
In 2020, the former Conservative government paid influencers who had appeared on Love Island, the the reality TV show, to promote the launch of the NHS's Test and Trace service.
In March this year the Government Communication Service (GCS) published an influencer due diligence policy, setting out how civil servants should vet influencers before asking them to participate in campaigns.
The policy said officials should 'check whether the influencer has publicly communicated on political issues recently (last 12 months), at a high volume (monthly or more) and in such a way that is likely to become a story in its own right and undermine the campaign'.
Thorp has continued to criticise the Government for its policing of pro-Palestinian protesters in the UK.
Recently sharing a video of an armed police officer threatening to arrest a protester holding a Palestinian flag, she wrote 'This is Yvette Cooper's Britain'. She described the incident as 'unbelievable' and asked 'where are all the free speech advocates now?'
Thorp has also declined an invitation to appear at the Labour party conference in September as part of a panel on violence against women and girls organised by the NSPCC.
She said in response to the request: 'I have ceased my work with the current Labour Government and will no longer be promoting any of the work they're doing to tackle violence against women and girls.
'While I obviously support domestic efforts and policies put in place to reduce violence against women and girls in the UK, their continued supply of arms licences to Israel along with their position as an ally to the IDF is wildly hypocritical.'
'She needs to stop virtue signalling'
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said Thorp should 'stop virtue signalling', adding: 'Palestine Action is a violent group who want to achieve their political aims through coercion and criminal damage.
'They have sabotaged an RAF aircraft, which our country relies on to defend us, they have smashed up property and they have even attacked a police officer with a sledgehammer. This is all totally unacceptable.
'In this country, we decide issues by debate and elections – not violence and intimidation. Palestine Action's methods should be condemned by anyone who believes in democracy and a peaceful political process. This influencer needs to stop virtue signalling on Instagram and call out Palestine Action's violent tactics.'
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