A Labour MP has become the first member of the parliamentary party to break ranks and call for a jailed mother to be released. Mary Glindon, Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend, believes that the 31 month prison sentence handed out to Lucy Connolly for a tweet which incited violence against a migrant hotel, is “unduly harsh”.

Former child minder Connolly lost her appeal against her sentence this week after she was jailed in October after pleading guilty to a charge of inciting racial hatred. Last July in the hours after Axel Rudakubana’s depraved murder of three girls in Southport, a crime which sparked riots across the country, Connolly posted on X calling for mass deportation. She wrote: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the b******s for all I care, while you’re at it, take the treacherous government politicians with them.

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“I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it.”

The post was visible for four hours where it was viewed 310,000 before being deleted. She was later arrested in August following the riots.

The Labour MP has signed an early day motion (EDM) brought by Reform UK outcast Rupert Lowe which “notes with concern” Connolly’s continued imprisonment at a time when the government is looking to release prisoners to free up space in the prison system.

Ms Glindon said: “I simply signed the EDM because I was very upset that Lucy had lost her appeal, and that her young daughter would be without her mother for a longer period.

“In my opinion, Lucy doesn’t pose a threat to the public. She seems to be paying a heavy price for what she did.”

She added said that “Lucy’s impetuous tweet was not only unthinkable but vile in content”, before adding: “Lucy has experienced the pain of losing a child and could be forgiven for a sudden, otherwise unthinkable reaction – one she quickly corrected.

“The judge has been unduly harsh. I can’t imagine how this will impact her young daughter. My heart bleeds for her.”

Speaking on X, Mr Lowe thanked Ms Glindon for her support, saying that the issue is “far more important than any party politics.”

In PMQs this week, Mr Lowe asked the Prime Minister if he thought that Connolly’s imprisonment for a “foolish social media post” was a “fair or efficient” use of prison.

Keir Starmer responded: “Sentencing is a matter for our courts, and I celebrate the fact that we have independent courts in this country.

“I am strongly in favour of free speech and we protect it fiercely. But I’m equally against incitement to violence against other people”.

“I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe.”