FLICK Drummond today told MPs she has suspended her Twitter account because of abuse.

The Meon Valley MP also warned that women will not enter public life unless more is done to stop the hate.

She said she was open to criticism and understood others will not always agree with her views but that the number of abusive comments was "out of control".

“Social media is getting out of hand, and it is intimidating,” she explained. “It was fine when Facebook and Twitter started but no longer.

“Like others, I have come off Twitter. There was no point in looking at comments designed to hurt one personally rather than deal with politics.”

Speaking during the Elected Women Representatives: Online Abuse debate, Flick acknowledged that Twitter had brought in measures to help but added she would not be returning to the platform as a public figure “for the foreseeable future” and she now hides abusive comments on Facebook too.

“My concern is that what is happening puts people, and especially women, off entering public life. The Fawcett Society sent some figures this week stating that the number of women unlikely to stand as an MP has risen to 74 per cent from 59 per cent in 2019, and in relation to standing as a councillor it has risen to 62 per cent from 44per cent, with 69 per cent citing abuse or harassment from the public or other parties as a reason for not pursuing a career in politics.

“That is appalling. If it stays on that trajectory, we will not have any women who want to stand and we will go back to the days of men dominating the corridors of power, just as we were beginning to make inroads with female representation (in parliament), even if it is only at 34 per cent.”

She also explained the abuse was having a chilling effect on women talking about important issues.

“If a woman raises her head above the parapet, it triggers even more abuse, so many of us wonder whether it is worth talking about a controversial topic.

“That is stultifying discussion, especially given that the diversity of a woman’s perspective is often helpful.

“It is not enough to say, ‘Toughen up. You should expect to be tough as a public person’. I have heard that before. We are tough as politicians, but we are also human beings. Many of us have families whom we want to protect as well as ourselves.”

She added it was the responsibility of everyone, not just the Government and social media companies, to say abuse is not acceptable.

“I challenge every single person to confront this unacceptable behaviour, otherwise we will have to put further consequences in place to combat it," she said.