OXFORDSHIRE councillors voted unanimously to support preventing cyber abuse being directed against politicians and people they represent on social media yesterday

Councillor Kieron Mallon proposed the motion – even though he said he has never used social media.

Mr Mallon said: “I use things that are far more effective. Words on the ground are far more effective than words in the air.”

He added: “If you disagree with people you speak to them face to face…Cowards choose to denigrate (online).”

He said he proposed the message because of abuse suffered by friends and other politicians on social media. Mr Mallon said it was imperative people treated others properly online – but abuse was so bad at the general election in June his MP, Victoria Prentis, had been forced to delete her Facebook page.

Mr Mallon also added General Election, a 24-year-old Conservative activist received a threat so abusive it was reported to the police.

Councillor Suzanne Bartington, who stood as the Conservative Party’s candidate in Oxford East at the last general election, said she had been told by anonymous people online she should be stuck off as a doctor and she was responsible for ‘the deaths of millions’.

She welcomed action promised by Prime Minister Theresa May, who had pledged to clamp down on people who threaten others on the internet.