Female politicians taking a stand against Twitter abuse after Alliance leader Naomi Long subject to 'squalid and misogynistic' messages

In recent days Mrs Long has been subject to “squalid and misogynistic” abuse on Twitter, who said said “really need to up their game”.

"I normally turn a blind eye to it, but this weekend I decided I was going to highlight it," she told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.

"I think the more we turn a blind eye to it and ignore it the more it becomes accepted as part of the discourse in politics and it shouldn't be."

Upper Bann MP Mrs Lockhart could identify with the abuse suffered by Mrs Long.

She said: “The abuse directed at Naomi is horrific. Knowing only too well what it is like to open a phone and read such personal bile directed at me, I stand in solidarity with her against these cowards.

“There ought to be no facilitation of such abuse on any online platform. We need much tighter restrictions on the identification requirements to open an account on social media platforms. The days of taking one minute to create a troll account should be ended, and pre-authorisation ID requirements would do just that.”

She added: “Naomi and I are well used to this kind of mindless abuse, but we must always remember that there are those – including in our schools – for whom online abuse can cause huge harm to mental health and wellbeing. We need to protect those who can’t cope with it, and we need the idiots who engage in this harmful activity to be brought to account.

"Social media companies need to step up to the plate and take the necessary steps to combat online hate. If they fail to do so, they should be held accountable for the harm caused.”

Former DUP leader Arlene Foster also sent her solidarity: “Sometimes I really despair. I send my solidarity to Naomi Long and ask those who send these messages to take a good look at yourselves especially if you have women who you love in your life – how would you feel if they received such messages?”