A CONSERVATIVE MP has spoken out after his family were subjected to abusive comments hoping they would be ‘blown up’ in the wake of a vote in Parliament over air strikes in Syria.

James Heappey, who represents the Wells constituency, told the Mercury he had received messages wishing ‘death and destruction’ on his family following the vote on December 5.

He voted in favour of the successful bill to send fighter jets to the Arab country, and is one of a number of MPs to have endured personal abuse following the debate.

Mr Heappey said he did not consider the abuse to amount to death threats, but ‘took exception’ to sentiments directed aimed at his family.

He said: “There were messages wishing that me and my family took a trip to the frontline in Syria, which seemed difficult for my one and three-year-old. They were hoping for our destruction, misery and homelessness.

“There were some comments, which have been self-policed by the people who thought better of them.

“There will have been plenty of people in the constituency who didn’t agree with me and plenty who did, and a relatively small number of them got in touch to tell me their views, but the vast majority did so in a way which was reasonable.

“But there were some who, particularly through social media, decided that was what they wanted to do. The ones who extended that to my wife and kids I take exception to.”

Mr Heappey said although the abuse had upset him, he had not considered reporting it to the authorities.

He said: “The reason to report these things is if there is a direct threat to you and your family, and I don’t think that happened.

“I do think there is a line for people holding me to account and bringing my family into it goes beyond that.

“Some of the worst comments included one where someone wished my wife and kids were blown up in an air strike so I could see what it was like, but that was deleted by the person who wrote it.”