Reader views (99)

 Add your view

Personally I'm less concerned with whether Diane Abbot truly believes her crass statement.
The issue for me is that someone charged with public office would be stupid enough not think about the inplications of what they say on a public forum like twitter.
Do I think she's racsist? No, I think she's let emotions get the better of her and made a stupid, reactionary comment in relation to a very volatile and heated topic.
The point is, as a public representative, her comment has shown a real lack of understanding for the importance of thinking before you speak / tweet.

- Martin Katscan, London, 08/01/2012 09:05
Report abuse

Diane Abbott is right. On many occasions I have first hand witnessed the cheer cheek of London taxi drivers not stopping for me, my colleagues or friends just because of the colour of our skin.

People need to wake up to the things black people endure in everyday life and stop accusing us of playing the race card or moaning about how hard life is. The reality is what Diane Abbott speaks like it or not.

- Charlene, London, 07/01/2012 03:38
Report abuse

This just shows the standard of the Labour Party - a SHADOW minister has to apologise publicly, what are the back bench Labour MPs like?
Is Diane intending/training to take over Harperson's role - no support even from her own constituent labour voters...etc!

- Hello Kitty, NW London, 06/01/2012 08:07
Report abuse

Let me say with another poster was trying to say in that it was OK for Starkey to say what hesaid about ''Blacks'' and therefore he isn't racist however Dianne Abbott is?

I clearly recall lots of white people writing the following ''David Starkey is only saying what a lot ofwhite people think''

- Kevin, London, 06/01/2012 05:46
Report abuse

@ np, suffolk - There you go again denigrating the white working class and labelling them as racist. You must feel very superior commenting from your middle class enclave outside of London.

- Mark H, London England, 06/01/2012 05:45
Report abuse

A lot of people seem to be forgetting what Starkey said about black people.Hmmm

- Harry, Bedford, 06/01/2012 05:39
Report abuse

If a White MP made the same remarks about Black people, they would be sacked?

If a Person campaigned for standards In state schools,ran academies, and followed socalism.Then sent their kids to a private school?, they would be a hypocrite!

- Martin Harrison, Bacup, 06/01/2012 02:48
Report abuse

Ok....

One apology noted....

How many more does she owe? Hang on, I'll just get my calculator out.... Ok ready, go for it....

- Rogan, Irving, 06/01/2012 01:03
Report abuse

I Can,t imagine that Ed Milliband has it in him to give anyone a severe anything let alone a severe dressing down?

- Linda, uk, 05/01/2012 23:51
Report abuse

I am rather pleased that Abbot had to apologize. The sensitivity-meter of blacks registers already thoughts, let alone utterances, and I am sick and tired of black members of the community believing that they can get away with nearly everything. Let the same standard apply to everyone - for a change.

- John Markham, New York, USA, 05/01/2012 23:17
Report abuse

People like Diane Abbott fan the flames of racism..It works both ways, or at least it should!..Is indeed a mad world.

- steve taylor, brighton, 05/01/2012 23:17
Report abuse

Well the New Year has hardly started and all spirit of forgiveness has gone out of the window. Someone (Diane Abbot) who has no doubt faced years of real prejudice makes a bit of a silly comment and the wrath of the middle classes is upon her. Lets forget that almost all of use turned a blind eye to a little bit of that prejudice for so long. We must feign offence at her comments?

How dare she suggest we in the majority have played the game. Next she'll suggest we continue to exploit the minerals from those African countries.

We need decent politicians like Diane even though I will never vote for her. But I worry just how many on the right side of politics are wrong. Maybe I've been voting for all these years with little Englanders who would have us sail off in the the mid Atlantic and return to those good old bad old Empire days.

Before criticising Ms Abbot we perhaps should look to our own little prejudices.

- martin23, london, 05/01/2012 23:02
Report abuse

I thought Abbot was smarter than that. She should have said elite. Of course the elite in this country are overwhelmingly white so the point would be the same and just as true. Read your history folks.

But what makes me laugh is the outright hypocrisy and faux outrage from many of the commentators here. If she was a white politician the very same people complaining here would be trotting out the usual stuff about "freedom if speech", "just a bit of banter", "taken out of context", "over sensitive", "pc gone mad" etc if black people and normal non-racist people complained.

Where were you when the usual suspects regularly write their racist rubbish on this site? Silent because you agree with the knuckle draggers? Some of you have come out with some of the racist rubbish yourselves. You are bigger hypocrites than Abbot is being accused of being.

Abbot worst mistake was to play into the hands of the many inadequates and those who think the world owes them a living who are jealous of her achievements despite her humble background.

- Veritas Noire, Purley, 05/01/2012 22:42
Report abuse

BRAVO DIANE ABBOTT

Continue this sort of behaviour please, as a front bencher for your cluless party. More of this and your parties mission to get to the dustbin will get closer and closer and closer every day

Oh the countdown till the labour party are nothing but trash and a bad pest in the history of Great Britain. I'll toast to that

- Steve, Labourland, 05/01/2012 22:35
Report abuse

So Miss Abbott does not see anything wrong in what she has said...( quote )..White people love playing "divide & rule" We should not play their game...
then she says..( quote ) Tweet taken out of context. Refers to nature of 19th century European colonialism. Bit much to get into 140 characters.
So i would take it that she would be ok and agree with me that if i quote
'Most muggers are black'
Please do not take this out of context and its a bit much to get into 140 characters...im only refering to what ....
Ian Blair..The deputy head of the Metropolitan Police said...( quote )..society cannot ignore the evidence that most muggers are black.
And no matter how much you try and wriggle out of it.
By saying..."White people love playing "divide & rule"...it is generalizing as all white people

- maxx546, East Mids, 05/01/2012 21:50
Report abuse

Diane Abbott: I don't think your comments were racist, but perhaps a little unwise. Divide and rule is not totally the prerogative of white people, is it? However, on a different matter which was reported in today's Standard, I would welcome your comments on the horrific torture and death of 15-year-old Kristy Bamu from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the torture of his younger sisters perpetrated by his sister and brother-in-law in East London on Christmas Day because they were thought to be witches or sorcerers. I think you would do more good in this country - and the wider world - to speak out about such medieval horrors being carried out in this country and elsewhere by African immigrants. I fear it is more widespread than we know and many white people in authority are afraid to speak out about such horrendous practices for fear of being branded racist. I apologise for going off topic, but there is no comments section on the article in question.

- Pam, London, UK, 05/01/2012 21:30
Report abuse

She condemned Public Schools (and other private schools) but sends her children to private schools. Her words are worthless. It is classic animal farm, what is good enough for rest is not good enough for her.

- edwin, beaconsfield, bucks, 05/01/2012 21:08
Report abuse

Diana Abbott has clearly shown she is racist, forget the apology she has now made, she was forced to this by the Labour leader. If a White person had made those comments, particularly as a MP, they would be sacked and disowned! Ed Milliband now has to show leadership and sack her.
I am proud that we live in a multi cultural society. Diana Abbott seems to want to incite racial tensions. She should hold her head in shame and be ashamed of what she believes. Diana Abbott the racist! Someone should report her to the appropriate authorities.

- DAVID BROWN, LONDON, 05/01/2012 20:12
Report abuse

Sack her she's a disgrace she can't be representing neither Black or White people with this kind of attitude...

- Kc, Kyrenia Cyprus, 05/01/2012 19:21
Report abuse

Yes in regards to her own education and comments regarding private education she has been shown to be a hypocrite but tell me a politician that isn;t one in todays world.
Where that desperate turncoat Clehgg has the gall to refer to Abbotts comments as crass only proves the point.
Abbott has alway been extreme but either I need to go to specsavers or what I see in the steet and hear in all too many places would back up what she has said. Her excuse was stupid but if we all turned black thee wold still be a problem in the UK because society is inherently class ridden.
I never thought I would say this but I feel sorry for Ms Abbott.

- Robert Marshall, London, 05/01/2012 19:00
Report abuse

The old slogan of 'black and white unite and fight' is inapporprite now. Surely it must be 'white man he talk with forked tongue.'. I've always disliked her studied way of speaking and her air of clever-cleverness. Nothing to do with her race.

- Sue R, London, 05/01/2012 18:50
Report abuse

@np, suffolk, 05/01/2012 17:46

The point is that either you are allowed to speak your mind or you are not! It has to be evenly applied across the board. The reaction to Diane Abbott's comments should be exactly the same across the board as the reaction would have been if she were white and had made a racist statement. But it's quite evident that that is not the case, with the usual suspects who would normally leap on any hint of racism inexplicably defending her. It's that sort of hypocrisy that people are reacting to, more than the statement itself.

- Mack, Mitcham, 05/01/2012 18:34
Report abuse

She must be sacked now! She is a disgrace and if this is the sought of thing that a politician can say and get away with then we have a big problem, If this was to have been said by a white politician about black people, They would have been sacked already, This is must work both ways!

- Steven, LONDON, 05/01/2012 18:13
Report abuse

Oh dear, oh dear. Imagine if a white person holding a position of power and influence made a remark suggesting that Black people try divide and rule white folks by using the colour of their skins to gain an advantage?
Ms Abbot would have gone to town on the poor dupe, trying to do what ever it would take to lever that white person out of their job, and subsequently force out of them a grovelling, public apology.
Mercifully, we are spared the sight of Ms Abbot almost puce with faux rage, in full cry condemning British institutional racism, yet again.
Sometimes I think that if our society wasn't divided along racial lines - to quote Muhammed Ali, "Birds of a feather flock together" - Diane Abbott would have little else to offer. Surely, she has built her whole career on "Racism". Another, ...ism, that is hard to define, but is easier to suggest and even easier to accuse someone of.
One thing we can be sure of however, is that when this scandal cools down - as it almost certainly will because it is inverted racism here that of course, doesn't really count; Ms Abbott will continue her service as an M.P., and will doubtless get re-elected at the next General Election. In contrast; look what happened to Enoch Powell.

- Higgnoraimus, Birmingham, 05/01/2012 17:55
Report abuse

Diane Abbott makes racist remark

SHOCK HORROR

The revelation that a black person could possibly issue a racist remark when all evidence has shown that only white people can possibly be racist, has stunned the entire universe. Even those in distant galaxies were stunned.

SHOCK HORROR.

For the rest of us, we have known all along, that ANYONE can be guilty of racism and we ALL have the potential to be racist regardless of colour or religion. Much to the annoyance of "only whites are racist" brigade.

So that the news that a black person has made what has been branded a racist statement is no news at all.

As for Diane "don't do as I do when it comes to selecting your child's school but stick to your socialist principles" Abbott her outburst is no surprise. She has in the past referred to Tories and wealthy individuals as Toffee nose toffs whereas she was educated at a grammar school for girls and then went to Cambridge.

Hypocrite or what?

- Adam, The Socialist Dictatorship, once known as Britain., 05/01/2012 17:55
Report abuse

The only double standards harry,mike,and bill from london are people like you. Had this been a white member of parliment like the one who said muslims have too many kids you 3 would start shouting free speech.ms abbot is correct,and it is also funny this comes out in the same week as racism in the white english working class is exposed during a race hate trial.

- np, suffolk, 05/01/2012 17:46
Report abuse

Sardine, Peckham: You have my deepest sympathies. Here in Newham, if you're white, male and Christian you are marginalised and Diane Abbot, whose hypocrasy has gone before (remeber how she denigrated the private education system and got her son into a prestigious school, and then went on to use her racial origin as the reason?)reflects the political line that councillors and politicians hold in boroughs such as Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets. What concerns and puzzles me is how our media professes to be so outspoken on the evils of 'racism'when the perpetrators are white and the victims are of other races, yet maintain an undignified and craven silence when the boot is on the other foot. And thus the question remains: WHY?

- Gatedweller, The People's Republic of Newham, 05/01/2012 17:42
Report abuse

@Billy, Kenley and ALL.

I'd like to point out that she didn't say what she said , she typed it.

This can hardly be described as 'misquoted' or a slip of the tongue. This was thought out and entered into a site on the internet. It was premeditated.

To that end, I think she should go.

- Hansel, London, 05/01/2012 17:37
Report abuse

Isn't it strange that despite delivering speeches/party lines etc to the electorate being the stock in trade of politicians so many of them are quoted 'out of context?' On this occasion the cretinous woman wasn't even quoted, it was what she actually put out in her tweet! Still, as another reader has commented, now we know what she really thinks.

- Captain Foulenough, Hornchurch, Essex, 05/01/2012 17:25
Report abuse

Whether we like it nor not, we all live in the same small island, now quite overcrowded, and have to live together. Therefore, if you have a British passport and are entitled to the same protection under the law, you are not a person of any particular colour, but British. Ms Abbott obviously regards herself as someone special, but does not perhaps realise that people like her have brought the respect that Members of Parliament once held to a new low, by working all the "angles" without a regard for the historic responsibilities that erstwhile MPs had.

- George Sanders, Hastings.uk., 05/01/2012 17:24
Report abuse

However, Mr Zahawi called on the Labour leader to axe her from his front bench for "inciting hatred against white people".

Oh come off it, you twerp, she did no such thing. Put a sock in it!

- Baron von Richtofen, Biggin Hill, 05/01/2012 17:16
Report abuse

The right thing for Diane Abbot to do is resign, but so will not ever do the right thing. It's people like her that would give any government or political party no hope.

- ash, birmingham, 05/01/2012 17:14
Report abuse

Abbott fills me with revulsion on two fronts: Firstly, as a tax payer I am forced to contribute towards the salary and expenses of this odious creature. Then, to add insult to injury, my TV licence fee is used to pay her to loll around on a sofa rolling her eyes and slobbering over Michael Portillo. I demand that the BBC terminate her contract forthwith and that red Ed demands her resignation.

- R.F.Yorke, Yorks, UK, 05/01/2012 17:13
Report abuse

Black or white, Diane Abbot is not a politician. I'd call her a rabble-rouser and also, if it is NOT construed as racist, a poor role model for her own race.

Arrogant, know-it-all,using her colour to score as many points as she thinks she can get away with.... but in the end, coming across as not very bright.

- Amanda Partridge, Bristol, 05/01/2012 16:58
Report abuse

Sack her. Londoners have had enough embarrassment from this woman, who went to Grammar school and thence to Oxford, yet vehemently opposed such schools for the children of others. She then sent her own son to a very expensive private school, claiming some rubbish such as 'black boys don't do well in state schools' and 'black mothers will do more for their kids than other mothers.' Enough.

- liz, London, 05/01/2012 16:56
Report abuse

Diane Abbott should be ashamed her hypocitic behaviour. Black people are capable of being racist too.FACT. She is caught out and as to "White people love playing 'divide & rule' I would in return say a large number of black people are in denial to themselves their communities, and society as a whole. Black people murder black people on a regular basis in our city. Just for a wrong look and other petty reasons they stab each other for not showing respect. Denial that facts show in consideration to their numbers they commit more crime. Even when a young black gang member was stabbed on Oxford Street and the police were trying to seal off the area and look after the gang member victim black young men who claim the police are racist were causing mayhem. When Mischa B was voted off the X Factor the black press The Voice stated it was because she was too black for the white voters. Leona Lewis won the x Factor but The Voice stated she was ok because she was not as black as Mischa B in the eyes of white people. Many black people have a chip on their shoulder and ignore how badly in denial they are about many within their own community.Every time a young black man is murdered by another young black man we see their parents talk about how good they were followed by revealing pictures of their sons holding guns or in gang videos.Murder is Murder and many young black lives are taken each week by members of their own community. Silence from Diane Abbott. Her views are Racist

- PATRICK'S OPINION, LAMBETH, 05/01/2012 16:27
Report abuse

^5 The Hungry Hippo strikes yet again!
Diane Abbot is not only critical of the "White rule and divide" but she is also guilty of the same. Why does she regularly use the phrase "West Indian" and not "Afro Caribbean"?
She wants to play with Uncle Tom as long as it lines her purse but deep down she thinks because she lives in Hackney and has her jerk chicken she is one of the blood!

- Tazz, London, 05/01/2012 16:23
Report abuse

'White people love playing divide & rule'. A small number certainly do. It's not new. However they don't do it against black people but ALL people, it's a power & control thing. By setting potential opposition to oneself against each other their attention, energy, criticism is deflected and used elsewhere, anywhere but against oneself.
Ms Abbott suggests however (and by no means for the first time - she has history) that this is the case. Are we to believe therefore that some black people, in the UK and in other countries, do not practice divide & rule against others, white or black? Nonsense.
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence and even a cursory knowledge of the world 'as it is' & not as we might like or pretend it to be knows that that is simply untrue, highly inaccurate.
Until morals & principles are applied universally to all without exception this sort of thing will continue. I do not expect Ed Milliband & the Labour leadership to put Abbott out to grass. She's in a safe seat & black female MPs are thin on the ground.
Not that it should make any difference. On 'principle' she and they would have attacked others had they made such crass & insensitive comments from the other side of the debate. But they are fat too committed to the power drug to push her aside. A rather tidy example of hypocrisy.
We should stop using the word 'racism' and instead use the catch-all phrase 'bigotry' - hatred born of aversion. What we have here is a case of projection & inverted bigotry.

- David H (tgw123 on Twitter), London, 05/01/2012 16:13
Report abuse

I was so relieved at the verdict and sentencing of Stephen Lawrence's attackers yesterday and believe his other killers should be brought to justice. However, racism goes both ways. As a victim of a violent racist attack who received appalling treatment at the hands of the Met I should know. My problem was that I am white (female) and my attacker black (male). I am utterly sick of the prevailing idea that racism = white on black. Racism works all ways. Diane Abbot and her ilk should be striving to make London a less divisive place for all of to live and work irrespective of race. I am so glad she is not my MP. It is evident from her comments that if you are white, asian, latin american etc in her consitiuency you get a 2nd class service. Give me David Lammy any day.

- sardine, peckham, 05/01/2012 16:11
Report abuse

Why are politicans so keen to comment on Twitter or Facebook but never comment in the Standard, London's No 1 newspaper. Do they read londoners views I wonder.

- Alan, England. Fed up with ALL politicians, 05/01/2012 16:05
Report abuse

What Abbott said was true, although she is too dense to realise exactly how. Dividing the ruled so they argue and fight amongst themselves over largely trivia is a long-standing strategy of the real rulers, of all nations , colours and creeds. I do not mean the chumps in Parliament-they are puppets. It is intended to distract the masses from the reality- which is that they are pawns in a subtle game which denies them power and reserves it to a select few. "Race" is ideal for this purpose.

- len moss, brighton, 05/01/2012 16:02
Report abuse

Powerful people in the media follow a racist line ...

- Harry Cole, Bow, 05/01/2012 13:49
How dare you say such a thing.

- Nora Kane, London, 05/01/2012 16:00
Report abuse

She should resign.

- Vince London, West London, 05/01/2012 15:57
Report abuse

Dianne Abbot is a disgrace. She is not fit to be an MP.She is the one who is creating divisions between the white & black & others.

- John Underwood, London, 05/01/2012 15:55
Report abuse

Michael, London, 05/01/2012 14:40
Well said Michael.

- Nora Kane, London, 05/01/2012 15:52
Report abuse

she should get an 8 match ban and £40k fine

- antony, london, 05/01/2012 14:42
Report abuse

Absolutely hilarious that while supposedly trying to condemn the tactic of divide and rule, Diane Abbott actually makes a clear distinction between "white people" and "we" (ie. black people). Divide and rule, eh, Diane?

And all this in response to another Twitter user that was merely expressing their disagreement with blanket racial terminology such as "the black community" and "black community leaders".

Presumably Diane wants "the black community" working as one solid entity in contrast with other ethnic groups.

Can't have all ethnicities working together, viewing themselves as one grand community as a whole can we, Diane?

They have to be broken up into their own specific categories and communities, so that they're easier to play off against one another.

Divide and rule.

- Michael, London, 05/01/2012 14:40
Report abuse

This women is a classic New Labour fraud.
A socialist who pays for her son to go to a private school.
She is another MP who went to Oxford and who has nothing in common with working people.
It is time for term limits for all politicians.

RED KEN WILL RAISE YOUR TAXES

- The Pigeons, Muswell Hill, 05/01/2012 14:40
Report abuse

Tell you what !!! we now know quite clearly what she thinks as a result of this indiscreet remark.

- Alan, Essex, 05/01/2012 14:39
Report abuse

I see a future inthe following:
Im a celeb get me out of here,or Strictly, or come dine with me or! what ever other cheap TV work failed MPs go into regardless of colour................... of their party.
Oh and I see a book deal heading Ms Abbott's way. No faith or trust in any of them.

- Mick, London, 05/01/2012 14:37
Report abuse

This can't possibly be true, surely mis-reported by some one, Ms Abbott making a racist remake, whatever next the pope converting to C of E, good riddance to her but as she's a Labour MP let her stay and wreck them more.

- John Hardon, Watford, Herts, 05/01/2012 14:32
Report abuse

Let he/she who is entirely without the sin of prejudice, whether it be based on race, skin colour, region of birth, nationality, creed, IQ level, eye colour, hair colour, dress style, body art or piercings, tribe( such as football team supported)or any/all of the above, cast the first aspersion.
Feeling sameness or difference is normal, but what you do about it, mostly, or say, less so, determines how enlightened you are. Personally,I couldn't care less what Diane Abbot tweets, because all tweeters are idiots ( by definition) and I am prejudiced against idiots. Bloggers on The Standard on the other hand....

- barry1858, Welwyn, 05/01/2012 14:27
Report abuse

I saw a follow up tweet last night that read
"trouble wiv black people is they is there own worst enemy"
it made me laugh (grammar aside), but I am sure Diana Abbott would have jumped on that as being racist… yet somehow apt.

- ben, W1, 05/01/2012 14:26
Report abuse

"we CANNOT afford the loss of people such as Diane Abbott on the stupidity of a non-thinking minority!

- Burton J. HELLING, Le Hommet d'Arthenay, Normandy, France"

Errmmm should that really be 'we' or sould it be 'nous' ???

- Paul, London, 05/01/2012 14:22
Report abuse

Yesterday's big Black/White story was Steven Lawrence. And today's is this. Shame on you Abbot.

- Ben, London, 05/01/2012 14:10
Report abuse

There is a big racial problem in the UK and in France, in Spain, in the USA, Portugal, China, Japan, India, Argentina, South Africa, Haiti, USA, Ireland, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, ...etc

Shall I go on?

In Group x Out Group

People should just find something useful to say or do, like a hobby, sports, craft, art, dance, cooking, sewing, planting, anything.

JUST STOP THIS HATRED AGAINST EVERYONE BY EVERYONE !!!!

- M. IVEHADENOUGH, London, 05/01/2012 14:08
Report abuse

I think Ed Milliband should wear a t-shirt of support on his next live TV appearance

- King Kenny, Liverpool, 05/01/2012 14:05
Report abuse

BJ East London.We of the left need real left-wing Labour politicians not the Ms Abbots or Blair's and Browns.

- Bazza, London, 05/01/2012 14:04
Report abuse

This highlights the whole racial problem , although primarily it is often White elitists that are racist , it also an issue in all ethnic groups, something that has been left out of the arguement.

If racism is to be shown to be an embarrasing personal problem, that shows low intellect and animal like intelligence then it has to be confronted everywhere, wether a person is Black , white , asian or from any other background , it must be challenged and the perpetraitors humiliated for the morons they truel are .

- Brian Wilts, wiltshire, 05/01/2012 14:02
Report abuse

What needs to be remembered is that from Abbott's perspective, those practising 'divide and rule' will be white, simply by being part of the ruling class. We don't have a black ruling class in this country. So she's not exactly wrong, it's just her slant on it. In the same way, many women will regard nutter gunmen and rapists as men first and foremost, because from their perspective, that is a defining difference.

I'm unclear as to what exactly provoked her comments though. The Stephen Lawrence case, as outlined in i newspaper, was the first black murder, seemingly, where whites could not explain it away on the basis that the victim was into drugs, or unemployable, or had it coming in some respect, and so on. I believe she may have been referring to that.

- Clive, London, 05/01/2012 14:01
Report abuse

"iF IT WASA WHITE POLITICIAN WHO USED THE WORD 'BLACK' THEY'D BE OUT LIKE A SHOT BUT AS SHE'S BLACK AND USING THE WORD 'WHITE' SHE STAYS." Exactly. The only way you can take offence is if you change what she said to something completely different. Do white people use divide and rule? Of course they do. Powerful people in the media follow a racist line against whoever the hate figure de jour is, Poles, Muslims, gypsies, whatever. Do we have freedom of speech in this country? Yes. Storm in a tea cup.

- Harry Cole, Bow, 05/01/2012 13:49
Report abuse

This woman is the Tracy Emin of politics, I have never heard an intelligent remark from either of them.
Whether white or black, Diane Abbot simply isn't very smart.

- simon cooper, London England, 05/01/2012 13:47
Report abuse

We of the right need labour politicians like Abbott. So more of the same please dear.

- BJ, East London, 05/01/2012 13:42
Report abuse

I'm sick and tired of Diane giving black people a bad name. For someone in a prominent position to lack basic tact is a disgrace. Black people in Hackney and labour voters need to find another candidate to represent them.

- Angry Black Man, London, 05/01/2012 13:29
Report abuse

Yet another ill conceived comment from Ms Abbott who yet again has engaged her mouth prior to engaging her brain. Within hours of David Milliband being publicly humiliated from one of his own labour Peers and criticised for lack of leadership and direction this is an appropriate moment for him to show some spine and cast his colleague to a place where she belongs .. obscurity. DB after all is quick to cast aspertions elsewhere about lack of moral fibre now is the time to demonstrate he has some of his own!

- Billy, Kenley, 05/01/2012 13:27
Report abuse

She would be the first person to be calling for the person who made a similar remark, to stand down.
She should RESIGN

- Bill Williams, Chateau Gontier France, 05/01/2012 13:26
Report abuse

Franklin Thornton Heath,Its not wrong to say divide and rule has been used by many great leaders and societies throughout history,but to say its the whites that alone use it is declaring its a whites only thing which must be racist.

- Bazza, London, 05/01/2012 13:23
Report abuse

That's it Milliband the last chance has gone for labour because with your help it's rapidly becoming a party for non whites who are the untouchables..

- Eric Tucker, Watford England., 05/01/2012 13:20
Report abuse

This matter should now be left for the police to investigate....

- JT, Chelsea, 05/01/2012 13:18
Report abuse

Franklin - leave out the "white"! It just shows her prejudice.

What's true is "people love playing divide and rule". Well, some people. Especially our ruling classes - most especially the new breed of "professional politicians". People who have never done any real work in their entire lives, but who think themselves eminently qualified to regulate every aspect of our daily lives.

Some are white. Some are brown. Some are black. Ms. Abbott is one of them.

- Nigel, London, 05/01/2012 13:17
Report abuse

Would rather MPs stopped using twitter. It is the most horrendous communication medium ever invented. The character limit dumbs down debates to stupidity.

- John, London, 05/01/2012 13:15
Report abuse

Truly,she is not and has never been a great Hackney representative having the gall to send her own child to a fee paying school, let's not forget Hackney is a very poor borough with a very mixed socio-economic divide. Time to go you buffoon.

- mrs mop, Hackney, 05/01/2012 13:11
Report abuse

iF IT WASA WHITE POLITICIAN WHO USED THE WORD 'BLACK' THEY'D BE OUT LIKE A SHOT BUT AS SHE'S BLACK AND USING THE WORD 'WHITE' SHE STAYS.
WHERES THE LOGIC? WELCOME TO THE UK

- Dean Quarterpounder, E8, 05/01/2012 13:06
Report abuse

She has ruined all progress in anti-racism in a single interview.

- terry, Hennebont France, 05/01/2012 13:02
Report abuse

So this is a TEST! Are we really stamping out ALL forms of racism or it is just one way? If we are true to our word, this 'woman' (who has managed to do such a dis-service to the Stephen Lawrence family by moving the media limelight) should be fired IMMEDIATELY. If not, then the whole concept is a joke and it will be a concept which I will not recognise.

- Paul, London, 05/01/2012 12:59
Report abuse

@ Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 05/01/2012 12:33

Its called aiding and abetting, your just as guilty as the person who inflicted the final blow.

As to Diane Abbot, she has a point and i applaud her for making it

- JJ, London, 05/01/2012 12:54
Report abuse

I must say I personally do not see how are why it is offensive to say that an individual or a race of people love playing 'divide & rule'. A cursory glance at the history books tells us that all great leaders and civilization practice such tactics. Indeed, can greatness be achieved without pursuing a policy of divide & rule? I think not.

- Franklin, Thornton Heath, 05/01/2012 12:44
Report abuse

If there is a positive part to this it is that at long last the bleating professional liberal left has realised that racism can be a two-way street.

Try being from the 'majority' ethnic group and living in Stockwell and you will get a bucket load of racial abuse every day, but no one does anything about it. The recipients are probably just as sensitive but see that the discrimination industry is skewed and biased in all manner of ways.

Diane Abbot is a bright but thoroughly duplicitous MP with an excellent education and a penchant for those parts of left politics that suits her career best. State school is for other peoples’ children etc....

- Sir Notso Stu Pidfool, London, 05/01/2012 12:39
Report abuse

Go now you vain, pompus, overpaid fool .

- Terry, London, 05/01/2012 12:38
Report abuse

In any other part of Europe a 16 year old and a 17 year old in a gang with no evidence as to who actually killed the victim could not have been convicted of murder.

- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 05/01/2012 12:33
Report abuse

.....racism comments regarding ANY colour should not be tolerated - particularly by an MP !!!!!!!

- Lisa, E London, 05/01/2012 12:32
Report abuse

Seems all things 'race' are flavour of the New Year right now... another ES dramatic headline...

Bill Simpson may have a point though... just need to look at the state of the countries where 'West' Intervention has taken place... nothing gets sorted... civil wars and turmoil...

- Liberal, London, Ghetto Side, 05/01/2012 12:30
Report abuse

If this was a white MP talking about black people, she would probably be arrested or strung up. What she said is a childish generalisation and is racist whatever way you cut it.She won't be sacked though because of the very fact she is black.....weird eh?

- Mike, London, 05/01/2012 12:28
Report abuse

Who will rid us of this incompetent bigot?

- Anglo, The Heart of England, 05/01/2012 12:27
Report abuse

Possibly one of the most racist people I have ever come across - and boy, her name just keeps popping up year after year ---

- Marianne, SW France/London, 05/01/2012 12:26
Report abuse

Speaking as a white man, I must say that I agree with Diane Abbit.

- Bill Simpson., London.U.K., 05/01/2012 11:58

Bill, don't you understand that because you are white you can say this about white people but you couldn't say it about black people. In the same way Ms Abbott can't make this kind of statement about white people but she could about black people.

It's like black people can use the N word but white people can't. If you don't understand this watch "The Wire."

And Bill where is your evidence that white people like to divide and rule black people today?

- Stephen C, LONDON, 05/01/2012 12:21
Report abuse

I'm afraid the racism card works both ways Ms Abbott,the moment she said we should not act like them she declared that she felt there was a difference between black and white people . Game over.

- Bazza, London, 05/01/2012 12:19
Report abuse

You really can't wriggle out of the fact that anyone who says this kind of thing is clearly racist but whe will get away with it because that's the way it is. Had she been white and said something similar about black people whe would have been sacked and rightly so, does anyone seriously dispute that? Remember poor Mercer who was sacked for making a factually correct statement about what people actually say in the army. But of course Cameron has more guts than Miliband.

If Miliband sacked her he would become a little less unpopular so he won't do this as he is destined to remain unpopular.

We now get the weasel words "taken out of context" which of course means "I wish I hadn't said that and how do I get out of it." All this from a socialist who sends her son to a private school.

The British people have now got her measure but it appears the Labour Party hasn't. I seem to recall she has also referred to Cameron and Osborne as "rich white boys" so we begin to see a pattern emerging of what she really believes. Or was she referring to Cameron and Osborne's ancestors who lived in colonial times?

- Stephen C, LONDON, 05/01/2012 12:12
Report abuse

and we are rather good at it thank you Diane - you'll need to get up a lot earlier than you clearly do to beat us

- James, Mayfair, 05/01/2012 12:10
Report abuse

"As ever, certain people jump at every available chance to condemn and seek now to end the career of a VERY capable politician."

No they're seeking to end the career of racist incompetent Diane Abbott.

- The Joker, London, 05/01/2012 12:01
Report abuse

Speaking as a white man, I must say that I agree with Diane Abbit.

- Bill Simpson., London.U.K., 05/01/2012 11:58
Report abuse

Abbot has form for making racist comments, she should have gone years ago...but she won't as she has no shame whatsoever...

- Michelle, London, 05/01/2012 11:56
Report abuse

if you only have 140 letters to use, dont write tweets that will get you into trouble, i dont understand how a tweet can be taken out of context, either you mean it or you dont!

- Pat, Bounds Green, London, 05/01/2012 11:55
Report abuse

As ever, certain people jump at every available chance to condemn and seek now to end the career of a VERY capable politician. READ and DIGEST and UNDERSTAND what we she saying and the context in which it was said BEFORE screaming from the rooftops. I am NOT a labour supporter but we CANNOT afford the loss of people such as Diane Abbott on the stupidity of a non-thinking minority!

- Burton J. HELLING, Le Hommet d'Arthenay, Normandy, France, 05/01/2012 11:50
Report abuse

Resign? How ridiculous. Everybody knows only white people can be racists.

- Totally Confused, Ex London, 05/01/2012 11:47
Report abuse

Surely she cannot claim she's been taken 'out of context' since neither associated verb is past tense ?

She should resign as it is just as offensive as recent footballer comments

- Johnny Reggae, south east, 05/01/2012 11:44
Report abuse

Simply putting 'some' before the 'white' would have spared Diane this storm in a tweetcup.

- Mr. Sardonicus, Surrey, 05/01/2012 11:39
Report abuse

Diane Abbot has always been two-faced and beset by double standards. Sack her. Now!

- Paul, London, 05/01/2012 11:32
Report abuse

Typical of Ms Abbot to hide behind the old excuse of claiming her views had been "taken out of context"
The Labour MP studied History at Newham college Oxford, she is Learned and knows exactly what she said.

- Jim King, London, 05/01/2012 11:29
Report abuse

Add your comment