Diane Abbott uses 'n-word' live on Good Morning Britain as she reveals horrific abuse she suffers online

Francesca Gillett14 September 2017

Labour’s Diane Abbott has used the 'n-word' live on TV to highlight the extent of abuse she faces as a black, female MP.

The Shadow Home Secretary appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to speak about the relentless barrage of personal abuse she is regularly sent.

As the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP finishes making her point, shocked host Susanna Reid cuts in explaining the highly offensive term cannot be broadcast on air at this time of the morning.

Speaking live on the chat show on Thursday, Ms Abbott spoke about a report which found half of the 25,600 abusive tweets sent to female MPs were posted to her.

“When we discovered that we were getting half of these abusive tweets, it was really quite frightening," she said.

Diane Abbott was the most abused female MP on Twitter of the General Election.
ITV/Good Morning Britain

“And when I say abuse, it’s not about people saying, ‘I disagree with you about nationalising the railways’, it’s people calling you a n***** b****, it’s people threatening acid attacks, it’s rape, it’s death threats.

“And it’s upsetting for me but it’s also very upsetting for my staff who have to see all this.”

Presenter Ms Reid replies: “Absolutely right, and obviously people listening to those abusive terms will also be upset by them.

“You’ve received them directly, we can’t broadcast them, obviously, on the programme at this time of the morning.”

Ms Abbott added that although she has in the past avoided social media because it was upsetting, she said "you just can't not look at your email" and letters, where abuse is also delivered.

In the weeks leading up to the General Election, the Labour frontbencher received a seemingly never-ending campaign of racist and sexist abuse.

One in 20 tweets mentioning the Labour MP’s Twitter handle were abusive, data found.

Ms Abbott stepped aside temporarily from her shadow cabinet role shortly before the election for health reasons.

Her cabinet colleagues Angela Rayner and Emily Thornberry, as well as Home Secretary Amber Rudd and SNP’s Joanna Cherry were also targeted with abuse in the run up to the vote.

Ms Abbott still receives abuse online, with a most recent example from controversial personality Katie Hopkins, who tweeted a direct and personal attack on her earlier this week.

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