Diane Abbott deleted tweet: MP criticised for ‘exploiting’ tragedy in post about drowned migrants

Diane Abbott has been criticised by a Tory MP for her now-deleted tweet about the migrant disaster in the Mediterranean. The post was a response to a comment made by Tory MP Lee Anderson who earlier this week said asylum seekers complaining about being moved on to an accommodation barge should “f*** off back to France”.

The independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington tweeted “These migrants have indeed f***** off. To the bottom of the sea,” alongside a shared BBC article of the tragedy.

Forty-one people are believed to have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Tunisia in rough seas. The metal boat carrying 45 people left Sfax, Tunisia on August 3, but the vessel was overturned by a huge wave hours into the journey.

Tory former minister Brendan Clarke-Smith hit out at the suspended Labour MP’s tweet for ‘exploiting’ the tragedy. He said: “And to think that Sir Keir Starmer campaigned for this person to be made our Home Secretary.

“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.”

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. The former shadow Home Secretary wrote to The Observer in response to an article by Tomiwa Owolade entitled: ‘Racism in Britain is not a black and white issue. It’s far more complicated.’

Following the backlash, Abbot apologised for the comments and wished to ‘wholly and unreservedly withdraw her remarks. Abbott has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987 and was the first black woman to be elected to Parliament.