RSS Feed
January 5th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda - Abbott walks off mid-interview to take phone call in which she received ‘severe dressing down from Ed Miliband’
- Shadow minister claims comments were ‘taken out of context’ and remains defiant until Labour leader steps in – only then does she delete the tweet
- Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi calls for Abbott to quit or Ed Miliband to sack her
- George Galloway wades into the row to DEFEND the Labour politician
- Nick Clegg says Abbott’s comments were ‘stupid and crass’
- Labour spokesman says party disagrees with the tweets
- Abbott apologises ‘for any offence caused’
By
Richard Hartley-parkinson
Last updated at 5:01 PM on 5th January 2012
Call from the top? Ed Miliband is believed to have given Diane Abbott a ‘severe dressing down’ while on the phone during a TV interview
Black MP Diane Abbott finally apologised and deleted a tweet today over claims that she had been racist against white people.
The shadow minister for public health had appeared defiant over the message that said ‘white people love to play “divide and rule” We should not play their game’.
She said it had been taken out of context, citing ’19th century European colonial rule’ being behind the message.
But, she was cut short when she received a phone call during an interview on live TV while trying to explain the context behind the tweet.
That call was from her boss, Ed Miliband, who was said to be furious over the remarks.
An apology was swiftly issued, but she has been criticised for only saying she was sorry ‘for any offence caused’ and not for posting the original tweet.
The message,which had a hash tag that spelt out ‘tactic as old as colonialism’, was also deleted soon after the phone call from Miliband.
Abbott was criticised and there were calls for her resignation or for Mr Miliband to sack her following her remarks on the public forum during a conversation about the sentencing of Stephen Lawrence’s killers.
Scroll down for video
Abbott’s comment about ‘divide and rule’ have caused a Twitter storm with users calling for her resignation
The full conversation between Diane Abbott and freelance journalist, Bim Adewunmi following the sentencing of Stephen Lawrence’s killers
Ms Abbott responded this morning saying that her comment had been ‘taken out of context’
The tweet to freelance journalist Bim
Adewunmi was part of a wider conversation over the sentencing of Garry
Dobson and David Norris for Stephen’s murder.
The phone call came as Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge asked a question. But, realising who was on the other end of the phone, she appeared rattled and walked off saying ‘Can I just…’.
Sources say that Mr Miliband was furious and gave her a ‘severe dressing down’ over the phone.
Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi today called for Abbott to quit, saying: ‘A healthy society should not tolerate any form of
racism. DAbott should apologise and resign or EdM must sack her.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT IN WHICH SHE WALKED OFF TO TAKE A CALL FROM ED MILIBAND
Sophy Ridge: Can you understand the consternation that your tweet has created?
Diane Abbott: Well I was actually referring to the nature of 19th century European colonialism, but that’s a bit much to go into 140 characters
SR: But if you look at it out of context, saying ‘white people love to divide and rule’ is a pretty controversial remark if people don’t see it in context. Do you accept that it was not a wise thing to put out there?
DA: I think the tweet was taken out of context and some people have interpreted it maliciously
SR: Well, explain to us then, and for our viewers who are talking about this and there’s a lot of Twitter activity going on, explain to us what you actually meant by it
Abbott’s phone had started ringing and, indicating to Miss Ridge, she said ‘Can I just…’ before walking off camera.
‘DAbbott of all people should lead by example. Must resign.’
This
morning, Abbott said: ‘I understand people have interpreted my comments
as making generalisations about white people. I do not believe in doing
that.
‘I apologise for any offence caused.’
The Labour Party has also distanced itself from the MP’s remarks.
A spokesman said: ‘We disagree with Diane’s tweet. It is wrong to make sweeping generalisations about any race, creed, or culture.
‘The Labour Party has always campaigned against such behaviour – and so has Diane Abbott.’
Deputy
Prime Minister Nick Clegg called on Ms Abbott to explain herself. He
said: ‘I think what Diane Abbott said was just stupid and crass
generalisation.’
David Cameron – who famously said in 2009 that he did not use Twitter because too many tweets ‘might make a t***’ – declined to comment in detail on the furore surrounding the Labour MP.
Asked about Ms Abbott during a visit to inspect construction work at Hereford’s new enterprise zone, the Prime Minister joked: ‘You know my rule about politicians and tweeting – another good example.’
Mr Miliband told Ms Abbott that the remark was unacceptable, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said.
‘The contents of the tweet were
clearly unacceptable and Diane has, of course, therefore unreservedly
apologised for that,’ he told BBC News.
‘I should say that the leader of the
Labour Party, Ed Miliband, has spoken to her this morning and made it
very clear, in no uncertain terms, that the contents of the tweet were
unacceptable and Diane agrees with that.’
He said people would not ‘seriously think Diane is a racist’.
‘Diane has campaigned for equality, and campaigned against prejudice, over many years,’ he said.
David Levin, headmaster of City of London School where Abbott sent her son for £12,700 a year, has also spoken out in support of the MP.
‘Throughout James Abbott’s five years at City of London School, Diane Abbott was always a great supporter of the school precisely because it was easily the most cosmopolitan independent school and possibly of any school in the country.
‘She was always ready to help me in fundraising to promote able boys of poor backgrounds of any ethnic minority or colour to attend the school. The idea that Diane Abbott is guilty of racism is absurd.’
The Twitter storm erupted yesterday
when Abbot, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, responded to Ms
Adewunmi who had been tweeting about the Stephen Lawrence trial.
Ms Adewunmi initially wrote ‘I do wish everyone would stop saying “the black community” though. WHICH ONE?’
After reading feedback from her followers she then clarified her comment saying ‘I hate the generally lazy thinking behind the use of the term. Same for “black community leaders”.’
In response Abbott said that Ms Adewunmi was playing to a ‘divide and rule’ agenda.
She added: ‘Ethnic
communities that show more public solidarity unity than black
people do much better #dontwashdirtylineninpublic’.
Abbott gave a short interview on Sky News this morning where she repeated that her comments had been taken out of context
She then scurried off without answering any further questions from reporters
Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi took to Twitter to say that Abbott should resign or be sacked by Ed Miliband
Former shadow minister Paul Goodman also called for Abbott to stand down or face the consequences
Duncan Bannatyne said that he believes Diane Abbott’s displayed a lack of common sense
Diane Abbott has faced criticism in the past over her decision to send her son to a private school
‘I am not talking cultural differences. I am talking political tactics. #dontwashdirtylineninpublic.’
Following the Twitter storm, Abbott posted another tweet to say that her comments had been ‘taken out of context’.
Former MP George Galloway today waded in on the furore by defending Abbot.
He said: ‘Diane Abbott has been my friend for 25 years; only the obtuse would think her a “racist”.’
Influential
political blogger Guido Fawkes today accused Abbott of ‘slamming an
entire group of people based on the colour of their skin’.
An entry on the blog continued ‘She is a shadow minister and represents a constituency that is 61% white.
‘”Sections 17 to 29 of the Public Order Act 1986 are pretty clear on statements like this.
‘They cover deliberately provoking hatred of a racial group, distributing racist material to the public, and perhaps most notably in this case, inciting inflammatory rumours about an ethnic group, for the purpose of spreading racial discontent”.’
Paul Goodman, a former Conservative MP, also called for her to quit saying: ‘Even the most clear-cut apology won’t do.
‘Nadhim Zahawi MP believes that Abbott should quit and Miliband should fire her if she doesn’t. This view is severe but correct.’
HOW THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME ABBOTT HAS LANDED IN HOT WATER
Today’s Twitter storm is the latest in a number of blunders made by the MP who positioned herself as an anti-racism campaigner, once claiming that Britain had ‘invented racism’.
In 2010 Abbott called David Cameron and Nick Clegg ‘two posh white boys’, sparking claims of racism on the BBC’s internet message boards. One wrote: ‘I am sure that if a posh white person sat on this programme and mentioned a colour comment like that, there would be uproar.’
The same year, she was criticised
over remarks she made on BBC’s This Week over her decision to send her
son James to a private school. Andrew Neil quoted her saying that ‘West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children’.
Mr Neil responded by asking: ‘So black mums love their kids more than white mums, do they?’
Furious Abbott said: ‘I have said everything I am going to say about where I send my son to school.’
Previously, Abbott face accusations of racism suggesting that the ‘blonde blue-eyed Finnish girls’ working in her local hospital were unsuitable as nurses because they had ‘never met a black person before’.
Abbott has positioned herself as an anti-racism campaigner and once claimed that Britain had ‘invented racism’.
The latest row follows a previous race controversy on the same show, fronted by Andrew Neil, last year, after he compared Abbott to a chocolate HobNob biscuit.
Share this article:
Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.
The comments below have been moderated in advance.
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
Im black and I think as an MP she was wrong to stereotype or generalising all white people or any group of people into one.
Report abuse
I don’t think I haves ever known of a black person being racist to a white person being punished, it should be both ways
Report abuse
Had it been a white person saying this ,they would be sacked immediately. So she said an apology as soon as she realised how bad it was. has to go , should resign if she has any remorse,but ofcourse will not as the mp gravy train is all too good
Report abuse
Good grief! Whatever happened to free speech? She didn’t insult anyone. She only expressed an opinion. The fact of the matter is that white AND black people all play divide and rule whenever it suits us. It’s called human nature. And although what she said has obviously hit a nerve, surely we can be a bit more grown-up than calling for her to be sacked.
– Joss, London, 05/1/2012 15:01————– As so many have already stated, if this was a white politician, they’d be gone now, simple as that! The fact you’re defending this shows the ingrained Liberalised, Social Marxist agenda at work in the populace in general…
Report abuse
MPs like Diane Abbott should be encouraged to stay, not be booted out of the party. She andothers like her are are worth hundreds if not thousands of votes for the Tories where we shold get ore common sense.
All people, whether black or white are where they are because of who they are and what they are capable of. At the end of the day we do have meritocracy as there is no law preventing people achieving only their own ability.
Report abuse
Worst part is what her reaction if anybody else had made a comment with the poles reversed. Quite similar to her position on education another pc socialist telling us what is good for us but the same is not good enough for her and hers.
Report abuse
I’m not White, I’m pink!
Report abuse
How can a statement like that be said to be “taken out of context”? What she is doing is claiming to have been “wronged” by people who don’t like her because she knows it’s her best line of defence.
Report abuse
The Bolshie Broadcasting Corporation yet again show just how disgracefully biased and pro-Labour they are are with their title to this story focussing on the apology not the racist comment per se.
GET RID OF THE LICENCE FEE NOW AND LET THE LABOUR PARTY FUND THE BBC !!!!!!!!
Report abuse
sack her or she has to resign
Report abuse
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Related posts:
Serge Gainsbourg impersonator 'stabbed Johnny Hallyday lookalike rival'
Stolen Cezanne painting The Boy in the Red Vest worth £68.3 million recovered by police from car boo...
Barclays footed Diamond's £5.7m tax bill when he moved to UK (as part of a £27m package of pay, perk...
US calls for ban on drunk diplomats at UN debates
Irish women and teenager caught in Cairo mosque stand-off
Kayaker spots dorsal fin of shark as he paddles across the ocean near Cape Cod
Views: 0
Posted in 
Tags: 
