Diane Abbott slammed for recounting racist abuse on live TV
Diane Abbott
Hackney MP Diane Abbott has been criticised on social media for saying ‘nigger bitch’ on live TV – while talking about the racist abuse she suffers.
A study by human rights charity Amnesty International revealed that nearly half of all tweets sent to Abbott in the six weeks leading up to this year’s General Election were abusive.
Researchers found Abbott received almost half of all the abusive messages detected in the build-up to the vote.
Commenting on the findings in an interview on Good Morning Britain earlier today, Abbott said: “When we discovered that we were getting half of the abusive tweets, it was really quite frightening.
“And when I say abuse, it’s not people saying, you know, ‘I disagree with you about nationalising the railway’, it’s people calling you a nigger bitch, it’s people threatening acid attacks, it’s rape, it’s death threats.
“It’s upsetting for me but it’s also upsetting for my staff who have to see all this.”
Presenter Susanna Reid immediately apologised to viewers before telling Abbott: “People listening to those abusive terms will also be offended. You’ve received them directly – we can’t broadcast them, obviously, at this time in the morning.”
The incident sparked uproar on social media, with some venting their fury at the Labour frontbencher, as well as the programme-makers.
Twitter user llamados called Abbott’s use of the phrase “disgusting”, while another said using it on live TV “in front of any kids watching” showed her “ignorance”.
This woman is a Racist and should be taken to task for using the N word on live tv Disgusting
— llamados (@dgoodey18) September 14, 2017
Showed her own ignorance by using the words N***** and B**** on live tv in front of any kids watching
— Graham Emery (@emeryg139) September 14, 2017
But others were quick to defend her, including fellow Labour MP Angela Rayner, who said anyone offended by Abbott repeating the abuse “should consider how she feels getting it everyday”.
Those that are offended by @HackneyAbbott using the N word on TV should consider how she feels getting it everyday https://t.co/M6QH9xp4l7
— Angela Rayner MP (@AngelaRayner) September 14, 2017
When people are more offended by Diane Abbott repeating racist abuse aimed at her than the actual racist abuse. pic.twitter.com/o3rfEsRfan
— Luke Sillett (@Luke_Sillett) September 14, 2017
Luke Sillett responded with a picture, captioned with the words: “When people are more offended by Diane Abbott repeating racist abuse aimed at her than the actual racist abuse.”
On this issue she has my sympathy and understanding. Perhaps uttering the words on morning TV was rash, but in any event she is entitled to be protected from racist language.
As a high profile member of the shadow cabinet she is likely to attract the attention of the less desirable members of society that resort to cheap taunts – which in todays era of social media are so easy to make. What are the authorities doing to stamp it out? Virtually nothing!
Spend a day in Hackney and you’ll hear it several times … normally of black women by other black women.
The joke is, the same Daily Mail readers who are in outrage about it probably use it under their breath … about her.
Perhaps if we complain about “being offended” by people being offended, we can exclude them from discussion.
It seems like it’s a race to see who be offended first … and get their way … these days.