Labour Party member Abby Tomlinson proudly describes herself in her twitter bio as “leader of the #milifandom, a movement against the distorted media portrayal of Ed.”
Following Labour’s defeat in the General Election, the 17-year-old who is currently revising for her exams, blogged in the Guardian: “Milifandom was started by myself and several others as a consequence of the disgustingly negative and totally undeserved smear campaign by the rightwing media, that resulted in many people forming an opinion of Miliband based on what Rupert Murdoch and others want him to think.
“I was angered by this attempt to distort the truth to attack him. We wouldn’t allow bullying in any other part of society, why should it be allowed in the media?”
However, former Conservative MP Mensch has taken strong exception to Tomlinson’s crusade. But rather than objecting to the substance of her movement, Mensch has launched a forensic examination of the origins of the hashtag, accusing the teenager of hijacking it and refusing to credit the true “founder”.
Claiming to be composing a blog on the matter, Mensch is doggedly refusing to back down and has variously described the teenager as "faddish", "infantile" and "pathetic".
@twcuddleston @Ed_Miliband why did you say "Milifandom was started by myself"? It was not
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015@jacksenior88 @twcuddleston she didn't start it. Wow, is she still taking credit for another girl's work?
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015@jacksenior88 @twcuddleston what impact? Miliband's result was a disaster. Some other girl, not her, started the #milifandom hashtag
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015@jacksenior88 @twcuddleston to this day she does not credit the young woman who started it (not her)
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015Tomlinson admits to being brought to tears by Mensch's comments, but maintains she never claimed to be the first to use the hashtag, informing the columnist: “I said I turned it into a political movement. Now leave me alone.”
@LouiseMensch I also never said I was the first to use the hashtag. I said I turned it into a political movement. Now leave me alone.
— Abby Tomlinson (@twcuddleston) May 19, 2015@jennifergracef @twcuddleston Hi, you didn't start the hashtag either. Thanks though!
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015Guardian columnist and food blogger Jack Monroe has joined Prescott in the fray, with the former deputy Prime Minister tweeting directly to Mensch’s employers: “@StigAbell Your Sun columnist @LouiseMensch is trolling & bullying a 17 year-old girl @twcuddleston. Is this right?"
.@StigAbell Your Sun columnist @LouiseMensch is trolling & bullying a 17 year-old girl @twcuddleston. Is this right? pic.twitter.com/HphapQO7Bc
— John Prescott (@johnprescott) May 19, 2015He added Mensch’s “pursuit” of the teenager breaches Clause 4 of the Independent Press Standards Organisation on harassment, which states: 'Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harrassment or persistent pursuit... they must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals once asked to desist."
.@IpsoNews @MattTee Sun writer @LouiseMensch's pursuit of @twcuddleston, 17, breaches Code of Practice on harassment pic.twitter.com/IVRo1GoFTS
— John Prescott (@johnprescott) May 19, 2015Are you still bullying a 17 year old child? On the Internet? My my what a big brave girl you are @LouiseMensch
— Jack Monroe (@MsJackMonroe) May 18, 2015Mensch has denied accusations she is bullying Tomlinson, stating: “I think you people need a new dictionary, one in which ‘criticising’ and ‘bullying’ are not listed as ‘synonyms’.
@heyheyde @twcuddleston I think you people need a new dictionary, one in which 'criticising' and 'bullying' are not listed as synonyms.
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 18, 2015Many however, would beg to differ...
Just reported Louise Mensch for harassment. She has gone way beyond criticism of Abby, now just bullying.
— Audioseal (@AudioSeal1) May 19, 2015@jennifergracef @HootayMcBoob @twcuddleston I notice serial bully and irrelevant ex-Corby MP @LouiseMensch hasn't apologised. Typical.
— Southend Marxist (@p1966k) May 4, 2015absolutely revolting that an old cow like @LouiseMensch can publicly bully a child she should be sacked from @TheSunNewspaper #Milifandom
— Critical viewer (@tvbigmouth) May 19, 2015What a bully @LouiseMensch is!!! Step away from twitter and stop attacking the teenager!
— Selena (@MancSel) May 19, 2015Nice to see Louise Mensch using her influence to bully and harass a 17 y/o for "bias" in her tweets. I think she means "opinions".
— Fiona Longmuir (@EscapologistGl) May 19, 2015How an adult like @LouiseMensch can continue to bully and harrass a minor in public is beyond me. It is shamefull. You must feel so proud
— BuffaloCrone (@CorineJN) May 19, 2015Classy. @LouiseMensch is openly mentally abusing a child who has begged her to stop tweeting her. Disgraceful bully pic.twitter.com/7ln34ANBgo
— Guy Lambert (@SohoGuy) May 19, 2015@LouiseMensch @twcuddleston At present, you're coming across like a bully and a troll. Leave her alone, for God's sake. You're a grown woman
— Lisa Gifford (@LisaGifford) May 19, 2015A spokesman for The Sun told Huffington Post UK: "The Sun is neither responsible for, nor going to comment on, what our columnists write on social media."