Fundraiser set up after Tory MP mocks woman for seeking Samaritans at Glastonbury

Brendan Clarke-Smith - whose past controversies include complaining about the Westminster branch of Tesco, being accused of “misogyny” for mocking a woman’s “orange” skin, and comparing ‘taking the knee’ to Nazi salutes – has done something terrible again.

The Bassetlaw MP, who also told BBC’s Newsnight he would vote against the Privileges Committee’s report into Boris Johnson, only to abstain on the motion itself, has now mocked an anti-Tory campaigner for seeking mental health support during this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Tan Smith, better known online by the alias ‘Supertanskiii’, penned a tweet on Monday in which she thanked a “lovely man” volunteering for the suicide prevention and mental health charity Samaritans near the Pyramid Stage for asking if she was OK when she “paused” near their stall.

“I wasn’t. It meant the world to me – that chat made such a difference.

“I love Glasto but it’s a battle of endurance, especially for those with severe ADHD symptoms but no hope of help due to the Tories decimating the NHS. I cried a lot, both from joy and being overwhelmed.

“He was v kind. Talking for a few moments and letting it out gave me the energy to carry on …. I didn’t catch his name but had a little cry on my walk back, out of gratitude that people can be so wonderful.

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“It might have seemed insignificant but it’s incredible how much a chat and letting it out, saying it all out loud, can really help,” she wrote.

Yet Mr Clarke-Smith saw the heart-warming anecdote around the “wonderful” charity work of the Samaritans as an opportunity to mock the mental health of Ms Smith – someone who has branded Tory MPs “scumbags” and says it’s “the least they deserve for destroying Britain”.

The MP clapped back: “Vile internet troll in personal issues shock. Cares little for the welfare of others however when spouting her foul-mouthed bile on Twitter.

“Excuse me for playing the world’s smallest violin.”

After Ms Smith replied by saying she set up her accounts after a friend died by suicide and that the politician was “the reason people want to t*** Tories”, Mr Clarke-Smith suggested the influencer “try deleting your Twitter account”.

The comments from the Tory MP have since been slammed as “repulsive” and “repugnant”:

Mr Clarke-Smith has also been branded a “hypocrite” after other Twitter users discovered a tweet from January 2020 in which he said “poor mental health can affect anyone at any time” and shared links to organisations offering support.

Samaritans themselves even released a statement via Twitter thread about the incident, in which they stressed that “the language we use about mental health matters” and “it’s important not to stigmatise people” reaching out for support.

“It adds barriers for other people who might be hesitant to open up … Talking openly about mental health should be celebrated. It can take a lot to open up when you’re struggling, and sharing your story can take even more courage.

“Let’s keep building a community where no one feels ashamed or alone for struggling with mental health,” they said.

Fortunately, in case of the internet being brilliant, several fundraisers for Samaritans have since been set up, with Ms Smith’s own drive on her Instagram account already surpassing its £300 target – standing at more than £380 at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe launched by Simon Harris – who slammed Mr Clarke-Smith’s “flippant attitude” has garnered more than £2,100 at present after 183 donations.

The Conservative MP has doubled down on his stance despite the growing criticism, taking aim at the Mirror for reporting on his tweet and the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism John Mann for retweeting a link to the outlet’s article.

The Independent has contacted Mr Clarke-Smith for comment, while LBC’s Ben Kentish reports No 10 said it’s a matter for the Conservative Whips’ office, who declined to comment.

He later revealed that the press secretary for prime minister Rishi Sunak said Mr Clarke-Smith’s remarks are “not something that the PM would support or endorse”.

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