Diane Abbott says migrants have 'f****d off to bottom of sea' after Lee Anderson comment

  • Politics

MP Diane Abbott, former Labour shadow minister, has been heavily criticised for insensitive comments made about a shipwreck off Italy in which more than 40 asylum seekers died.

The independent MP, apparently responding to comments made by a Tory MP, shared an article with the news on Twitter, alongside the caption: "these migrants have indeed f****d off. to the bottom of the sea" (sic).

The tweet was later deleted.

Her comments were made to attack Tory MP Lee Anderson, who said earlier this week that asylum seekers complaining about being moved to an accommodation barge should “f*** off back to France”.

The tweet was quickly deleted. Credit: Twitter

Ms Abbott was sharing news that a migrant boat had capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa, in which 41 people died, including three children.

There were four survivors; two men, a woman, and an unaccompanied minor.

Ms Abbott, who was suspended by Labour after making allegedly antisemitic remarks, has been approached for comment, as has the Labour Party.

Her latest comments were labelled "repulsive" on social media and she is now facing calls to stand down as an MP.

Mr Anderson's party stood by him over his comments, which were made in response to reports of migrants legally challenging the government's attempt to move them onto the Bibby Stockholm barge.

The government has said the vessel, which was initially designed to fit about 200 people, has a 500-person capacity, with occupants due to share rooms.

While asylum seekers started boarding on Monday, around 20 migrants challenged the decision through lawyers.

On those complaining about the accommodation, Mr Anderson told Express.co.uk: “If they don’t like barges then they should f*** off back to France.”

Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick backed his party's deputy chairman, saying he was expressing the “deep frustration of a large body of the British public”.

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