MAIL ON SUNDAY: Labour leadership contender Diane Abbott was seething after being branded a ‘racist’ and an expenses cheat by political pundit Andrew Neil.
Left-winger Ms Abbott was savaged by Mr Neil on his late-night BBC show This Week over her decision to send her son James to the £12,700-a-year City of London School.
Ms Abbott, who earned £36,000 a year as a regular guest on the show alongside Michael Portillo until stepping down to fight for the Labour leadership, had defended her stance, saying: ‘West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children.’
Mr Neil hit back by demanding: ‘So black mums love their kids more than white mums, do they?’
Furious Ms Abbott said: ‘I have said everything I am going to say about where I send my son to school.’
Mr Neil persisted: ‘Supposing Michael said white mums will go to the wall for their children. Why did you say that? Isn’t it a racist remark?
'If West Indian mums are as wonderful as you say, why are there so many dysfunctional West Indian families in this country? And why do so many young West Indian men end up in a life of crime and gangs?
‘You didn’t want your son to go to a school full of kids who have been brought up by West Indian mums.’
As Ms Abbott repeatedly refused to reply, Mr Neil asked: ‘Would you like to make it clear that West Indian mums are no better than white mums or Asian mums?’
When Ms Abbott, squirming in her seat, replied, ‘I have nothing to say,’ Mr Neil taunted her:
‘You don’t want to do that – you still think West Indian mums are the best?’ Continue reading and comment >>> Simon Walters, Mail on Sunday Political Editor | Sunday, June 27, 2010
