Депутат Зои Франклин покинула X из-за неприемлемого уровня оскорблений и теперь использует брелок безопасности

'As Guildford's MP I carry a security fob and quit X - the level of abuse was unacceptable' The Local Democracy Reporting Service joined Liberal Democrat Zöe Franklin on a day out in Guildford Guildford's MP is determined to not let growing threats and hostility towards politicians get in the way of connecting with her constituents. Liberal Democrat Zöe Franklin, who was first elected to parliament in 2024 after many years of service as a councillor, has been touring the town during Westminster’s summer recess. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she is candid about increased abuse faced by those in both local and national government. Like many MPs, she carries as security fob, and has stringent security measures in place around her work. “I’m as comfortable as you can be with what comes with the job,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). “There’s no doubt that the risk level for all elected officials has gone up significantly over the years I’ve been doing this.” Surrey Live joined Ms Franklin for one day of her trips around Guildford, where she has taken advantage of parliament’s summer break to hear voices from all across the constituency. Not content to take that time off, Ms Franklin says her job is “the best thing in the world”, and wants to dedicate these precious few weeks to spending time with Guildford’s residents. It is A-level results day, and that morning her BlueSky account posts congratulations to all those receiving their grades. But due to the mounting abuse faced on the platform, the same post wouldn’t be found on Twitter - or X, as Elon Musk renamed it - as she has stopped using it. “I am willing to recognise robust challenge, but the level of abuse I was receiving was unacceptable,” she says. “It had become quite personal, and had the potential to put myself and those around me in a situation where we were not safe.” She wants to strike a balance between safety and being on the ground with her constituents. Casework surgeries still happen, but they must be booked in advance - and security measures are in place to ensure they happen safely. But neither this nor the oppressive August heat would stop Ms Franklin’s constituency tour. Our first stop is at The Aggie - a coffee shop and community hub in north Guildford. She’s here to give a shout out to the tucked away “hidden gem”, which has been struggling to bring in enough patrons as of late. The venue is earmarked for renovation, and regularly hosts community event from bingo nights to gardening clubs. “I’ve had a great time learning about all the exciting things the Aggie is doing,” she says recording a piece to camera for her socials after the visit. “I encourage you to get online, find their Insta, find their Facebook and come along and enjoy all the Aggie has to offer.” Next on the agenda, Ms Franklin goes to see the work of Christian charity ReSkilled, which aims to help people who are out of work find confidence and purpose at their workshops. ReSkilled describes its aim as to “reduce social isolation and give people back self-esteem, choices and hope, by enabling them to re-discover the fulfilment and benefits of being in employment”. The church venue provides a welcome escape from the summer heat - on what would go on to be recorded as the UK's hottest day of the year - where volunteers show off their handiwork to Ms Franklin, who is joined for the day by Councillors Katie Steel and Masuk Miah. They all represent a growing trend towards the Liberal Democrats in Surrey - a county long dominated by the Conservative Party - with several parliamentary constituencies and both new unitary councils under Lib Dem control. Back in her air conditioned constituency office, the ubiquitous orange “winning here” diamond posters are plastered all across the wall - with each one bearing the name of every Lib Dem councillor across the county. “The fact that we went on to win both West and East Surrey hasn’t really been acknowledged as the enormous shift that it is,” Ms Franklin said. “The Conservatives have run Surrey since basically forever.” After a stop to meet with the charity Cycling UK to hear about its work and campaigning, she heads to the office in the afternoon for a meeting with her caseworkers to discuss ongoing issues brought to their attention. Even while parliament is in recess, MPs still have no shortage of work to do advocating for their constituents. This can take many forms, but often involves helping those in need facing problems accessing health and education services or navigating the immigration system. Summer recess gives many MPs breathing space to spend more time on the ground with their constituents, but come September, parliament will be back in action. “I absolutely love this job, it’s the best thing in the world,” Ms Franklin says. “I’ve done so many things, Guildford is so varied.”