New Pictures Labour's shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott claims 'hostile atmosphere' on Question Time

Diane Abbott has said there was a 'hostile atmosphere whipped up' against her on the BBC's Question Time last night.

The Labour frontbencher said she had been 'jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist' on the flagship programme. 

During the programme she clashed with panellist Isabel Oakeshott about Labour's standing in the polls.  

Two Twitter users who said they were audience members claimed Ms Abbott had also been targeted in the warm-up to the show. 

But the BBC rejected the claims, saying the reports on social media were 'inaccurate and misleading' and that Ms Abbott had not been treated unfairly. 

A spokesman for Ms Abbott told the Guardian: 'It was clear that a hostile atmosphere was whipped up, propped up by reports of inappropriate and sexist commentary in the audience warm-up session.

'Analysis of the programme shows that the only black woman on the panel was jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist, including by the chair herself.'

The BBC programme was complicit in 'legitimising mistreatment, bias and abuse against Ms Abbott as a black woman in public life,' the spokesman said.  

One audience member claimed on Twitter that there was 'was some humour at Diane's expense from BBC staff before the recording'.

Another said: 'The way they stoked up the anti Dianne Abbott sentiment before hand was appalling.' 

In one combative exchange during the programme the shadow home secretary hit back at incorrect claims that Labour was struggling in the polls. 

Diane Abbott (right) said she had been 'jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist' on the flagship BBC programme presented by Fiona Bruce (left)

A spokesperson for Diane Abbott (pictured on the programme) said it was 'clear that a hostile atmosphere was whipped up' against the Labour frontbencher 

Labour divided

Labour splits deepened last night after Diane Abbott warned against a second referendum – even though 71 of Jeremy Corbyn’s MPs called for one earlier this week.

The Shadow Home Secretary predicted another national vote would give the same result.

Appearing on Question Time, she said Remainer MPs calling for a re-run of the 2016 poll should ‘be careful what they wished for’. Jeremy Corbyn is continuing to push for a general election but has refused to rule out a fresh referendum.

It emerged yesterday he faced a dozen resignations from his frontbench if he supported a new vote, amid fears of a backlash in Leave-voting constituencies.

Miss Abbott said of a second vote: ‘My view, and I voted Remain, is that if we had a People’s Vote tomorrow, Leave would win again and you would just have a lot of very angry Leave voters.’ 

Isabel Oakeshott said Labour was 'miles behind' the Conservatives in the polls, saying it was a 'damning indictment' of party leader Jeremy Corbyn. 

The two parties have been neck-and-neck in recent polls with Labour ahead in some surveys while another showed the Tories with a lead of five points.  

Ms Abbott said the parties were 'level pegging' and pointed out that Mr Corbyn had substantially narrowed the Tories' poll lead during the 2017 election campaign.  

A BBC spokesperson said tonight: 'We are sorry to hear Diane Abbott's concerns over last night's edition of Question Time.

'We have contacted her team today to reassure them that reports circulating on social media are inaccurate and misleading. 

'Diane is a regular and important contributor to the programme. We firmly reject claims that any of the panel was treated unfairly either before or during the recording.'  

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News Photo Labour's shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott claims 'hostile atmosphere' on Question Time
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