Bullying row Tory Lucy Allan, who spent the week before Christmas with her office phone unplugged to avoid journalists, has finally broken her silence. Allan tells her local paper she regrets screaming at a young staffer, saying she understands “some of the rage”. She makes no comment on allegations that she swore at another young aide and refused to let a third have the weekend off to visit a terminally ill relative.

“I think it is totally wrong to get angry with employees. It does not help anyone. Whether that is bullying I will leave for other people to decide. She was certainly shouted at and I regret that… I understand some of the rage”

Is that her rage or the rage of her constituents?

Bizarrely, Allan goes on to describe Guido’s story about her doctoring an email from a constituent to add a death threat as “interesting“.

“It was silly, not professional. Not what an MP should do. It’s maybe what Lucy would do but I am an MP now and you have to rise above it. I think it is an interesting story about social media.”

That’s one word for it…