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Ed Miliband takes MP to task over Rochester flag tweet Ed Miliband takes MP to task over Rochester flag tweet
(about 17 hours later)
A senior Labour MP has apologised over her tweeted picture of a house decked in two St George’s flags, after critics accused her of snobbery.A senior Labour MP has apologised over her tweeted picture of a house decked in two St George’s flags, after critics accused her of snobbery.
Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, who represents Islington South & Finsbury, took the picture while out campaigning in the Rochester & Strood byelection.Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, who represents Islington South & Finsbury, took the picture while out campaigning in the Rochester & Strood byelection.
Image from #Rochester pic.twitter.com/rOjTgpskmF
The Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, weighed in on the debate as he campaigned in Rochester for his candidate, Mark Reckless, whose defection triggered the byelection.The Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, weighed in on the debate as he campaigned in Rochester for his candidate, Mark Reckless, whose defection triggered the byelection.
On Twitter, Farage said Thornberry had “let Miliband’s mask slip” and questioned what she was trying to imply about the area by tweeting the picture of the flag-decked terrace house, which had a white van parked outside.On Twitter, Farage said Thornberry had “let Miliband’s mask slip” and questioned what she was trying to imply about the area by tweeting the picture of the flag-decked terrace house, which had a white van parked outside.
Simon Danczuk, Labour MP for Rochdale, suggested it was “derogatory and dismissive of the people”. He told the Mail Online it was “like the Labour party has been hijacked by the north London liberal elite and it’s comments like that which reinforce that view”.Simon Danczuk, Labour MP for Rochdale, suggested it was “derogatory and dismissive of the people”. He told the Mail Online it was “like the Labour party has been hijacked by the north London liberal elite and it’s comments like that which reinforce that view”.
Thornberry told the Guardian that her critics may have been showing “a somewhat prejudiced attitude towards Islington”. “I’ve been down in Rochester, you know, and I’ve been tweeting one or two quotes that, what people have said to me on the door step, and images that I’ve seen … and then I came across a house that was covered absolutely from the roof all the way down to the ground with England flags, they couldn’t even see out of the window. It was an amazing image so I took a photograph of it and I put it on Twitter.”Thornberry told the Guardian that her critics may have been showing “a somewhat prejudiced attitude towards Islington”. “I’ve been down in Rochester, you know, and I’ve been tweeting one or two quotes that, what people have said to me on the door step, and images that I’ve seen … and then I came across a house that was covered absolutely from the roof all the way down to the ground with England flags, they couldn’t even see out of the window. It was an amazing image so I took a photograph of it and I put it on Twitter.”
The Labour MP said she thought there was a “lot of mischief making” going on.The Labour MP said she thought there was a “lot of mischief making” going on.
“You know I think the truth is, while the byelection’s going on people haven’t got a lot to say,” she added. “They can say there’s people out on doorsteps knocking on doors. And I suspect that those kind of people are trying to promote a somewhat prejudiced attitude towards Islington.“You know I think the truth is, while the byelection’s going on people haven’t got a lot to say,” she added. “They can say there’s people out on doorsteps knocking on doors. And I suspect that those kind of people are trying to promote a somewhat prejudiced attitude towards Islington.
“I was brought up on a council estate and I’ve never seen a house where people can’t see out of the window because of England flags. It was just trying to give, to the people who follow me on Twitter, a kind of picture of what the Rochester byelection is like.”“I was brought up on a council estate and I’ve never seen a house where people can’t see out of the window because of England flags. It was just trying to give, to the people who follow me on Twitter, a kind of picture of what the Rochester byelection is like.”
Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that she should apologise as it was “disgraceful” to think that “flying the flag of St George or owning a van is somehow bad.”Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that she should apologise as it was “disgraceful” to think that “flying the flag of St George or owning a van is somehow bad.”
Eric Pickles, the Conservative communities secretary, added: “We should have pride in flying the Cross of St George – don’t knock the national flag of England.”Eric Pickles, the Conservative communities secretary, added: “We should have pride in flying the Cross of St George – don’t knock the national flag of England.”
I apologise for any offence caused by the 3 flag picture. People should fly the England flag with pride!I apologise for any offence caused by the 3 flag picture. People should fly the England flag with pride!
On Thursday evening, however, Thornberry tweeted an apology for “any offence caused” saying: “People should fly the England flag with pride!” after receiving a dressing-down from the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.On Thursday evening, however, Thornberry tweeted an apology for “any offence caused” saying: “People should fly the England flag with pride!” after receiving a dressing-down from the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.
A Labour source said: “It is fair to say that he made his view very clear that people should fly the England flag with pride.”A Labour source said: “It is fair to say that he made his view very clear that people should fly the England flag with pride.”