Bizarre Twitter spat as fake accounts set up for Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer

There were a bizarre flurry of tweets on Thursday from Twitter accounts pretending to be Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer, who does not have an account on the social media platform. 

Read more: More displays announced to mark 50 days until Teesside Airshow

She has since responded to the fake accounts, telling The Northern Echo that she is taking action after the incident.

In the bizarre exchange of messages, different users appeared to impersonate Ms Mortimer along with an image of the MP, prompting one real-life MP to be fooled.

One thread of tweets said:

Jill @JillMortimerMP

You are imitating me, please stop it.

Jill Mortimer MP @JillMortimer4HP

No, you are imitating me?

Jill

Jill @JillMortimerMP

No, I have the @JillMortimerMP handle for a reason. You are abusing Labour MPs in my name, please stop.

Another account with the name Hon. Jillian Wendy Mortimer MBE MP @JillMortimer_. tweeted

Hi.

Please do not play sick games with me. I take these actions very seriously.

Regards, Jill.

One of the accounts includes a link to her parliamentary website and has her real email address.

While another has her email address but links to The Heritage Foundation – an American Conservative think tank.

Read more: The exciting new Asian street-food stall coming to Darlington Market

There were at least three accounts tweeting using her name and photograph, with links to her official platforms while more people joined in the bizarre encounter as the number of Tweets escalated.

And at one point, Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham, who is following one of the accounts, tweeted a response to one of them appearing to take aim at the number of 'her' followers.

However, Ms Mortimer’s office confirmed on Friday that the MP does not have a Twitter account and all of the accounts were fake.

Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

A spokesperson for the MP said: “Jill does not have a Twitter account and has never had one since she was elected.

“We are taking action and it has been reported.”

The accounts have been reported to Twitter, the spokesperson added.

The Conservative MP, who was elected last May, had an account while she was campaigning but decided to delete it last year. 

--

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054