There is a subject that has been weighing on my mind for quite some time. Not because it affects me alone, but because it affects everyone who chooses to dedicate part of their life to public service. The time has come for us, as a society, to ask ourselves a simple question: are we truly strengthening our democracy by the way we treat politicians?

Every day we hear inspiring messages about respect, mental health and the need to put an end to bullying. Yet, when we open social media, we are confronted with a very different reality. We see comments filled with hatred, ridicule and humiliation. Often, a politician is attacked not because they made a poor decision, but simply because they exist, dared to speak, or expressed an opinion.

We see candidates who were not elected being mocked instead of encouraged. We see politicians expressing a point of view only to be met with personal insults rather than reasoned arguments. We even see outrage when a politician is pictured on holiday, as though choosing public service somehow means giving up the right to rest or spend time with one's family.

I cannot agree with this mentality.

A politician does not stop being a father or a mother. They do not stop being a son or a daughter, a husband or a wife. They have families who read every comment written about them. They have children who hear what is being said. They have parents, siblings and friends who suffer alongside them.

Too often we forget that behind every face we see on a billboard or on television there is a human being, with joys, disappointments and personal struggles. Politics does not erase a person's humanity.

Those who have never experienced politics from the inside may not fully appreciate the immense pressure it brings. There are days when the phone never stops ringing because everyone needs something. Then there are moments when it suddenly falls silent, leaving you wondering whether you are still making a difference. That is the reality for many politicians.

Beyond politics lies a private life that few ever see. There are family problems, illness, fears, physical exhaustion and emotional fatigue. There are mental health challenges that can affect anyone, regardless of the office they hold.

Yet despite all this, there are still those who insist that politicians should simply accept every insult because "they chose this life." I hear this argument often. But choosing public service does not mean giving anyone permission to strip another human being of their dignity.

There is no doubt that anyone who enters public life must accept a high level of scrutiny, transparency and accountability. These are essential pillars of a healthy democracy and they must always remain so. But accountability can never become an excuse for insults, hatred, falsehoods or personal attacks. Politicians must answer for their actions, but they should never lose their dignity as human beings.

Criticism is essential. Politicians must be held accountable, questioned and criticised whenever necessary. I firmly believe this. However, there is a profound difference between fair criticism and personal abuse, between healthy debate and hatred, between opposing an idea and trying to destroy a person.

What worries me most is the impact this culture has on our young people. How many talented individuals have told me they would never consider entering politics after seeing what public figures endure? And can we really blame them? Who would willingly expose themselves and their families to a daily barrage of insults, lies and personal attacks?

If we continue down this path, we risk creating a country where our most capable people are discouraged from entering public life. That would be a loss for everyone, regardless of political party.

We must change this culture. We must learn that disagreement does not require hatred, that passion does not require cruelty, and that whether we support the government or the opposition, we should never forget that there is a human being standing before us.

I want to see greater respect for everyone who chooses to serve in public life. Not because politicians deserve special treatment, but because they are human beings like everyone else. They deserve the same respect that we expect for ourselves and for our loved ones.

Let us mature. Let us build a political culture where ideas compete instead of insults, where criticism remains strong but civil, and where respect for human dignity always comes first.

If we truly want better politics, we must first set the example ourselves in the way we speak, debate and treat one another.

Politics should be a calling to serve, not a sentence to endure. That is the level of maturity our country deserves.

Ivan Bartolo MP

Shadow Minister for Social Policy, Family and Social Housing