Baffled security chiefs want Scots swear words list to tackle Westminster cyber threats

Commons authorities have asked MPs to provide them with a list of Scottish swear words so they can improve politicians’ online security.

Cyber-security chiefs who monitor traffic from Twitter and Facebook to protect politicians and their staff want ­Scots MPs to provide a list of region-specific insults that could signal a rise in the threat against them.

One Scottish MP said: “There is a bit of the Commons that looks after MPs’ security online and it monitors abuse and any increase in online threats.

“But who is going to know what a ‘total raj’ or a ‘gadgie’ is if they are sitting in London unless we tell them?

“They contacted us for an up-to-date list of swear words because they take into account regional differences. Swear words in the west of Scotland are different to swear words in Fife. There will be will be Northern Irish and Welsh ones as well.”

The MP added: “The request did give us a bit of a chuckle to begin with but there is a serious point to all of this.

“Some of our members of staff, who are not paid the big bucks, are the ones who suffer some very unpleasant abuse.

“If someone gets angry they will drive from one side of the constituency to the other to barrack staff, so we have to be alert to what can happen.”

Spending on security for MPs has more than doubled in the past year amid reports of ­widespread abuse and ­harassment.

More than £4.2million was spent on security measures for MPs in 2017-18, an increase of 62 per cent on the previous year’s £2.6million and far in excess of the £170,500 spent in 2015-16, before Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by far-right extremist Thomas Mair in June 2016.

The latest tightening of online security comes after ­Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells revealed how she fears for her safety after a string of online threats and abuse.

She said she had contacted police over the social media posts and had been advised to increase her security by varying the way she goes to work.

Wells said the majority of the abuse on Twitter was aimed at her simply for a being a woman.

She said that in the three years since she was elected as a list MSP for the Glasgow region, she has been forced to mute more than 1100 abusive Twitter accounts due to the violent and foul-mouthed nature of the posts.

Last week, her fellow Scots Tory, Ochil and South Perthshire MP Luke Graham, told the House of Commons that a member of staff had been harassed by two men who banged on the door and windows of his constituency office in Crieff.

He said: “She was on her own, she approached the individuals and was told, ‘In an independent Scotland all of you will be hanging,’ and, ‘We will be there at the front cheering on.’

“And also, ‘I can’t wait to come and drag you from this office and get you to the noose.’”

Commons Speaker John Bercow described the incident as “despicable”.