Diane Abbott’s take on drownings in Med

I think both Mr. Anderson’s and Ms. Abbott’s comments came from frustration, albeit from different angles.

Our elected representatives are human it’s time that we stopped expecting them to be superhuman and never make a mistake.

Nope. I don't get this 'respect for the dead' thing.

I think she has a lot of anger about the dead, the fact that they were really unwanted and little attempt was made to save them. I read her words as bitter sarcasm.

Respect for the dead can take many forms which may be different from our own. In her case it translated into anger and posting an inappropriate tweet which she later thought twice about and deleted. Has no one else ever felt anger at people dying needlessly?

And Diane Abbott obviously realised she had tweeted in haste and removed it . Why didn't Anderson remove his ?

I agree.

If she had any respect for the dead Annie, she wouldn't have posted it to begin with.

I think she must have posted that comment on the spur of the moment then went away, had a little think and decided it wasn't really appropriate.

That woman should not be in politics, what she said was appalling. Nothing to do with which party she supports.

Casdon

Her biggest failing has always been reacting on the spur of the moment in an ill judged way though, she’s a loose canon. Her heart is in the right place though, unlike Anderson’s.

I agree - you've hit the nail on the head. She responds instinctively, and then appears to have second thoughts - she doesn't seem to have learned the 'art' of political life which requires a certain amount of ingenuity - or some would say canniness.

I found her comment quite shocking, not because she quite rightly, IMO, called out Anderson, but because it was so insensitive to the tragedy of yet more migrants dying.

I think she deleted it out respect for the dead

Very inappropriate as was Lee Anderson. What makes Diane Abbot's even more distasteful is people have died so perhaps it was that rather than changing her mind about using course terminology that lay behind her deletion.

It was an extremely distasteful comment.

Dickens

sassysaysso

Diane Abbott changed her mind about using "coarse terminology" and deleted it. Nothing wrong with that

What is "wrong" is that she doesn't have the courage to act in accordance with her belief in the face of criticism.

Though I can understand why. She is loathed by many and has had all sorts of online threats directed at her - including death threats.

Her biggest failing has always been reacting on the spur of the moment in an ill judged way though, she’s a loose canon. Her heart is in the right place though, unlike Anderson’s.

sassysaysso

Diane Abbott changed her mind about using "coarse terminology" and deleted it. Nothing wrong with that

What is "wrong" is that she doesn't have the courage to act in accordance with her belief in the face of criticism.

Though I can understand why. She is loathed by many and has had all sorts of online threats directed at her - including death threats.

Diane Abbott changed her mind about using "coarse terminology" and deleted it. Nothing wrong with that

Primrose53

So why did she delete her tweet? If she truly thought it was OK then she should have stood by it.

I agree. I wish she had stood by it.

If we are going to condone coarse terminology as acceptable for politicians' intense 'feelings' about a matter, then we cannot pick and choose who should or should not use it.

It was spoken on on the news too.

Casdon

Diane Abbott has no status other than as an MP, she’s not on the shadow cabinet. I doubt many people would condone what she said whatever their political persuasion.

Quite. So why is the DM making a big deal about it other than to set her up as the fall guy?

I miss the days when politicians acted and talked appropriately, in public, remembering their position.

This yobbo style behaviour is unbecoming and, frankly, nasty.

Anderson and Abbott are both as bad as one another, both ignorant, and neither are use nor ornament.🙄

PS I am not a fan of Diane Abbott - just to make it clear.

Primrose53

So why did she delete her tweet? If she truly thought it was OK then she should have stood by it.

Clearly on reflection she didn't think it OK. Nothing wrong with that.

Anderson's 'outburst' was sarcastic - he used coarse language to emphasise his point.

Which is exactly what Abbott has done.

Other than their opposing views - what is the difference? Why is it acceptable for Anderson to use the terminology, but not acceptable for DA to do the same?

She should not have deleted her tweet.

Anderson, with his language, has lowered the bar - this is the result. Sauce for the goose, etc.

Anyone who condones Anderson and condemns Abbott is a hypocrite.

Anderson's comment was disgraceful and Abbott's showed an insensitive lack of respect for the dead and their grieving relatives. Time for both of them to depart from public life.

Diane Abbott has no status other than as an MP, she’s not on the shadow cabinet. I doubt many people would condone what she said whatever their political persuasion.