Diane Abbott is slammed after saying migrants who drowned off Italy have ‘indeed f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’ in response to Lee Anderson’s comments about asylum seekers refusing to board the Bibby Stockholm barge
- Diane Abbott said drowned migrants have ‘f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’
Former Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has been slammed for saying migrants who drowned off Italy have ‘indeed f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’.
In a now-deleted tweet, the independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington wrote: ‘These migrants have indeed f***** off. To the bottom of the sea,’ as she shared a news story about a disaster in the Mediterranean.
The post was a response to a comment made by Lee Anderson, the deputy chairman of the Conservative party, who earlier this week said asylum seekers complaining about being moved on to accommodation barge the Bibby Stockholm barge should ‘f*** off back to France’.
Forty-one people are believed to have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Tunisia in rough seas.
Tory former minister Brendan Clarke-Smith tweeted: ‘And to think that Sir Keir Starmer campaigned for this person to be made our Home Secretary.
Former Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has been slammed for saying migrants who drowned off Italy have ‘indeed f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’
In a now-deleted tweet, the independent MP (pictured) for Hackney North and Stoke Newington wrote: ‘These migrants have indeed f***** off. To the bottom of the sea,’ as she shared a news story about the disaster in the Mediterranean
Forty-one people are believed to have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Tunisia in rough seas. Pictured: The four survivors
The post was a response to a comment made by Lee Anderson, the deputy chairman of the Conservative party, who earlier this week said asylum seekers complaining about being moved on to an accommodation barge should ‘f*** off back to France’. Pictured: The Bibby Stockholm immigration barge in Portland Port
‘We all know that you can’t take Labour seriously on immigration or national security, but what a shame they also seek to exploit tragedies like this to push their warped agenda.’
READ MORE: Lee Anderson: ‘If migrants don’t like barges they should f*** off back to France’
A Conservative spokesman said Ms Abbott’s tweet was ‘wrong’.
A metal migrant boat carrying 45 people left Sfax, Tunisia on August 3, but the vessel was overturned by a huge wave hours into the journey.
Survivors were taken to the island of Lampedusa on Wednesday after a rescue operation.
Ms Abbott’s tweet was not the first criticism she made of the Tory deputy chairman for his comments.
Ms Abbott, who once served as shadow home secretary, had previously described Mr Anderson’s comments as ‘a new low even for the Tories’.
But ministers have rallied around Ashfield MP Mr Anderson, with Justice Secretary Alex Chalk suggesting his ‘indignation’ was ‘well-placed’ after only 15 migrants had initially entered the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge.
About six hours into their voyage from Tunisia, a huge wave overturned the vessel carrying the 45 people
The International Organization of Migration said that the shipwreck brings to more than 1,800 the number of people dead and missing in the central Mediterranean
A doctor who treated the four said they had sustained ‘small wounds’ and were suffering from dehydration
The transfer of migrants on to the vessel has been mired in difficulty and delays amid safety concerns, local opposition and legal challenges.
Ms Abbott had the Labour whip suspended in April for suggesting Jewish, Irish and traveller people are not subject to racism ‘all their lives’ in a letter to the Observer newspaper.
Over the years she has been involved in a plethora of gaffes and controversies.
What are some of Diane Abbott’s gaffes and controversies?
2008: Abbott told Andrew Neil on BBC show This Week: ‘I suppose that some people would judge that on balance Mao did more good than harm. We can’t say that about the Nazis.’
2010: Accused of playing the ‘race card’ after she defended sending her son James to a £10,000-a-year school claiming: ‘West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children.’
2012: Outrages cab drivers by tweeting: ‘Dubious of black people claiming they’ve never experienced racism. Ever tried hailing a taxi I always wonder?’
2017: Told LBC Radio it would cost just £300,000 to hire 10,000 more police officers over four years – a grand total of £30 for each.
2017: Wrongly claims 16-year-olds can fight for their country and should therefore be able to vote.
2017: Refuses four times on the Andrew Marr Show to say she regrets past support of the IRA, adding: ‘It was 34 years ago, I had a rather splendid afro at the time. I don’t have the same hairstyle and I don’t have the same views.’
2018: Angered London Police by criticising their tactic of knocking moped muggers off their vehicles, tweeting: ‘Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn’t be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law.’
2018: Posts fake image of an Israeli fighter plane bombing Iran in a tweet slamming Britain’s airstrikes on Syria.
2019: Apologises after caught drinking a canned £2 M&S mojito on the London Overground.
2023: Has the Labour whip suspended in April for suggesting Jewish, Irish and traveller people are not subject to racism ‘all their lives’ in a letter to the Observer newspaper.
2023: Condemned for for saying drowned migrants have ‘indeed f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’, after MP Lee Anderson said asylum seekers complaining about being moved to barge accommodation should ‘f*** off back to France’.
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