Diane Abbott

I agree with you, varian. My DS is studing a degree in politics at Leeds Uni and has opted to do a course in statistics for humanities students, although his maths is better then most.

My big bugbear is that people don't understand the word "average" and its potential for manipulation. Even Michael Gove didn't when he told a select committee that he wantedall 11 year olds to achieve above average standards.

Phoenix puts me in mind of my 3 year old grandson when I asked him how old he was he said "half past 3"

PS. When's "More or Less" on? It sounds interesting. It should be mainstream!

Oh come on does anyone seriously believe that politicians are absolutely informed about every aspect of costs and policy? They have aides who brief them and provide them with the information they need and pass it to them at appropriate times. The question is who should have been giving this to Abbott and why didn't they? Someone is obviously for the high jump, I just wonder if another little job in another party will be waiting for them.
And yes MawBroon it was filmed- a radio interview perhaps but footage there for all the news programmes.

Surely as such a close friend and supporter of Corbyn and shadow Home Secretary she was involved in the discussions or do advisors make all the desicions and then advise Corbyn what he will be announcing the next day?

Advisors advise, leaders lead

"More or Less" is on quite regularly and repeated at various times. You can find previous editions on i-player via search. There are 170 editions available.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qshd/broadcasts/upcoming

This recent one tests some of Boris Johnson's utterances.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p050nqjq

I felt quite sorry for her,but there is no denying that this was more than a slip of the tongue, which lets face it we all do from time to time! I think it might have been better had she admitted her error instead of trying to cover it up with, mispeeking(?!!) too many interviews, which as a senior member of the shadow cabinet is surely her job, and perhaps being a tad less defensive, almost blaming someone else.

trisher whether the aides failed to brief her or not - she knew what she was going to say, she should have had the foresight to know she would be asked the cost and then ensure the aides had given her the information she needed. We heard papers rustling so obviously the information was in there, perhaps she hadn't read the briefing notes properly. It seems when politicians get things wrong the automatic response is to blame someone further down the pecking order. If you want power and authority then you must accept that the buck stops with you.

I'm glad this happened actually. It might bring a bit of humanity into her soul. She is so scathing about others, and so self-righteous and smug, that hopefully this might bring her down a peg or two. We all make mistakes,but this was inexcusable in someone who is meant to be in charge of such important things if Labour should somehow happen to get elected .. pigs might fly!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/02/diane-abbott-forced-watch-excruciating-interview-live-tv/

I don't know if this link does it, but DO look at last night's Daily Politics show, if not here, then on BBC iPlayer.
She not only got it all wrong, but her claims that she "got the figures right" in her other interviews were clearly false.
Perhaps her "advisers" did not brief her properly, but the proverbial buck stops with the Shadow Home Secretary. That is her job.
And what other Labour MPs or supporters must be thinking when JC blithely gives her his 100% support , well you just wonder.

Nothing to do with 'advisors' Annie the word I used is 'aide' you should know with your wide association with politicians that they all have these. Usually young people who are just starting a career. Often they field phone calls, gather information and step in if an MP is unable to make a meeting because they are held up in the House. You must have encountered some. They also keep the info politicians need for interviews and brief beforehand.
So what everyone wants is a slick presentation and not good policies. Well I hate to mention it again but there was one person in history who did this very well!

With talent such as Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna, Michael Dughan and others (even Ed Balls!) to call on why does the Labour campaign wheel on choose someone like Diane Abbott to score an own goal?
I understand that many of these Labour politicians have refused to serve in the Shadow Cabinet under Corbyn. I wonder if their decision would have been the same had they predicted this premature General Election.

Trisher to follow from what Anniebach said
Advisers advise, leaders lead, and may I add, therefore aides aid
It may be the job of the "backroom boys" to prepare the information and brief their Minister or shadow minister, but the responsibility for being on top of their facts lies with the politician in this case, with Diane Abbott.
No point in passing the blame on to some intern and shameful to do so in any case.

She's very arrogant and was obviously ill-prepared; also has a very safe seat.

Varian I love 'More or Less' - it debunks many a mathematical myth including the odious one about Mohammed being the most popular boys name in the UK leaving everyone to think that there are more Muslims being born than any other group.

I think she is menopausal. Another few thousand votes for the tories. Let us hope she loses her seat.

I mentioned that DA irritates me a few months ago and was pounced on for being racist and sexist. Hmm!

It should be obvious to anybody that a police officer costs somewhere in the region of £50,000 with salary, pension, training, extra equipment etc. (possibly more). If you want 10,000 of them, just add four noughts to 50,000, which gives a figure of 500 million. It should have been obvious which figures were totally wrong.

Surely the leader is involved with the policies and if kne in increasing the number of police he would discuss it with his shadow Home Secretary and not aids, worrying to think these decisions . are reached without the shadow cabinet involved .

Abbott said to her aids, - the leader is to make an announcement of an increase in police officers, do pop along and find out what he has planned ?

Maw, I'm so glad you started this thread.

I almost started a similar one earlier yesterday after I had seen her patronising interview on Breakfast. Her excuse that it was her 7th interview was pathetic. If she can't cope with that how on earth will she cope with real pressure when Labour win the election - as if!

And, it wasn't her fault it was the media!! Scary!!

You'd think the first interview might be the rusty one - not the 7th. Surely any 'misspeaking' should be ironed out by then.

Phoenix
Thank you for the brilliant joke
Lucky
Thank you for planting the image of comrade Corbyn hiding the sausage with comrade Abbott. It took me weeks to get rid of the image the first time round, now I have to start all over again

I've always had a low opinion of her as a politician. I don't know her personally.

Not for the first time Dianne Abbot has not engaged brain though is it.

To say this was not of her doing as some have implied is as ridiculous as her not knowing her brief as Shadow Home Secretary.

Really annoyed now - listening to Jeremy Vine it is being suggested she is being "attacked" because she is black and a woman. Nothing to do with the fact that she messed up, badly!

* sunseeker*
We all knew the race card was going to be played, didn't we?

For those who are bothered about a perfect Home Secretary Theresa May's record isn't exactly brilliant. f course she has moved on and won't make such mistakes again will she?
blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/theresa-mays-record-home-secretary-isnt-reassuring/