MP for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, has launched a public letter of thanks to be sent to the RNLI, and is inviting the people of Portsmouth to sign it.

The launch of the letter comes after RNLI volunteers received multiple threats and online vitriol for assisting the Coastguard in collecting 120 migrants who were attempting to cross the Channel, taking them ashore to Eastney Point.

There they were met by angry anti-migrant protesters, leading to a ten-hour standoff in Eastney before the migrants were eventually driven to a processing centre in Kent.

The RNLI has paused its services in Portsmouth in the wake of abuse of its volunteers after the protests.

Stephen Morgan is now inviting people to sign his public letter for the Portsmouth RNLI crew ‘to recognise the strength and feeling and support to the local lifeboat crew’.

“The RNLI exists to save lives at sea, but recent events have generated deliberate misinformation, a misunderstanding about their purpose and lifesaving work and the temporary closure of our local lifeboat station due to unacceptable threats to committed volunteers,” said Mr Morgan.

“The RNLI's people represent the very best of society and our city. They dedicate themselves to rescuing people they've never met before, without judgment, fear or favour.

“Our local RNLI station and its brave volunteers will always have my full support for their vital and selfless work.

“That’s why I’ve met with the RNLI’s chief executive in recent days, continue to liaise with the local crew and will take concerns back to Westminster.”

You can find a link to the public letter here.