LEADING politicians are boycotting Twitter for 48 hours over “hate and threatening behaviour”.

Hove and Portslade MP Peter Kyle is one of those taking part in the campaign, which urges the social media site to “get its house in order”.

The two-day period started at 9am yesterday, with the Labour MP sharing his final post on Sunday evening.

It said this was “a small act but an important one” and included the hashtag “no safe space for Jew hate”.

Mr Kyle told The Argus: “Quitting Twitter for a couple of days won’t change the world or end racism, but it’s a small and important way to send a message to people who’ve been harmed by anti-Semitism that we’re willing to act.

The Argus:

“And when thousands of us act together it adds up to a clear message to social media companies that they need to get their house in order to protect their community of users from hate and threatening behaviour.”

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas also pledged to support the campaign.

She said yesterday: “From 9am today, I won’t be posting on Twitter for 48 hours in solidarity with all those facing hate on social media.

“It’s not OK, whether it’s anti-Semitism, racism, Islamophobia, misogyny, abuse of disabled people, homophobia, transphobia or anything else.”

She also included the “no safe space for Jew hate” hashtag.

The Argus:

Other Brighton and Hove figures to take part in the campaign include former council leader and current Labour councillor Daniel Yates, who said Twitter had been “a safe haven for hate speech for too long”.

The campaign comes after alleged anti-Semitism rocked Brighton and Hove City Council, leading to the authority changing hands from Labour to the Greens last week.

Councillor Anne Pissaridou, who was the chairwoman of the environment, transport and sustainability committee, was suspended by the Labour party on July 15 over posts she shared on social media which were alleged to contain anti-Semitic content.

Just days later, fellow Labour councillor Kate Knight quit the party after being reported for alleged anti-Semitism.

The Argus:

Cllr Knight, who held the position of deputy chairwoman of the council’s children, young people and skills committee, told the council she had resigned as a member of the Labour Party and from the council’s Labour group with immediate effect.

Then, hours after this news was revealed, Labour councillor Nichole Brennan also quit the party amid an investigation into photos of her holding up a sign calling Israel a “racist, apartheid state”.

As a result, the Greens became the largest party on Brighton and Hove City Council with 19 seats to Labour’s 18.

Last week, former council leader Nancy Platts announced her party would hand over control of the city council to the Greens, citing failed power-sharing negotiations.