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Labour's Emily Thornberry quits over 'snobby' tweet | Labour's Emily Thornberry quits over 'snobby' tweet |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Emily Thornberry has resigned from Labour's front bench after sending a tweet during the Rochester and Strood by-election which was branded "snobby". | Emily Thornberry has resigned from Labour's front bench after sending a tweet during the Rochester and Strood by-election which was branded "snobby". |
The shadow attorney general apologised for the message, which showed a terraced house with three England flags, and a white van parked outside. | The shadow attorney general apologised for the message, which showed a terraced house with three England flags, and a white van parked outside. |
UKIP said she had "sneered, and looked down her nose at a white van in Strood with the cross of St George on it". | |
Labour leader Ed Miliband was "angry" at her, a senior figure told the BBC. | |
The resident of the house, Dan Ware, said Ms Thornberry - the MP for Islington South and Finsbury - was a "snob", | |
"I've not got a clue who she is - but she's a snob," he told the Sun. "We put the flags up for the World Cup and will continue to fly them." | |
He added: "I can't even remember when I last voted." | He added: "I can't even remember when I last voted." |
Ms Thornberry posted the image on Thursday, while voting was taking place in the by-election in Kent. Alongside the picture, she wrote: "Image from Rochester." | |
Labour came third in the high-profile poll behind UKIP, which won the seat and saw its second MP elected to Westminster. | |
'Respect for voters' | |
Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander said Labour leader Ed Miliband had "not held back" in expressing his dismay with the MP's actions. | |
"Anyone who wants to stand for election and be successful next May has to start with a fundamental and deep respect for voters," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. | |
"The anger Ed (Miliband) felt when he saw that tweet reflected his understanding that we need to earn the support of people around the country." | |
Before the result was announced, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the tweet had "given the Tory press an alternative narrative". | Before the result was announced, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the tweet had "given the Tory press an alternative narrative". |
He said: "It is the most extraordinary self-inflicted wound I have seen an opposition party inflict on themselves in many, many years." | He said: "It is the most extraordinary self-inflicted wound I have seen an opposition party inflict on themselves in many, many years." |
And the BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said on Friday that the tweet "plays to a very, very dangerous theme" for Labour, namely the concern "that they are somehow dismissive, patronising, contemptuous of their own core voters". | And the BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said on Friday that the tweet "plays to a very, very dangerous theme" for Labour, namely the concern "that they are somehow dismissive, patronising, contemptuous of their own core voters". |
Emily Thornberry | Emily Thornberry |
The 54-year-old entered Parliament as MP for Islington South and Finsbury in 2005 and served as shadow energy and health spokeswoman before taking the role of shadow attorney general in 2011. | The 54-year-old entered Parliament as MP for Islington South and Finsbury in 2005 and served as shadow energy and health spokeswoman before taking the role of shadow attorney general in 2011. |
The daughter of a former assistant secretary general of the United Nations, she was born in Surrey and was called to the bar in 1983, specialising in criminal law. | The daughter of a former assistant secretary general of the United Nations, she was born in Surrey and was called to the bar in 1983, specialising in criminal law. |
She had a majority of 3,569 over the Liberal Democrat candidate at the 2010 general election. | She had a majority of 3,569 over the Liberal Democrat candidate at the 2010 general election. |
Rochester and Strood: What's next for parties? | Rochester and Strood: What's next for parties? |
How unusual is Rochester and Strood? | How unusual is Rochester and Strood? |
'Respecting voters' | 'Respecting voters' |
Ms Thornberry is believed to have had two conversations with Labour leader Ed Miliband after posting the tweet, and offered her resignation during the second one. | |
In a statement released by the Labour Party, Ms Thornberry said: "Earlier today I sent a tweet which has caused offence to some people. | In a statement released by the Labour Party, Ms Thornberry said: "Earlier today I sent a tweet which has caused offence to some people. |
"That was never my intention and I have apologised. However I will not let anything distract from Labour's chance to win the coming general election." | |
"I have therefore tonight told Ed Miliband I will resign from the shadow cabinet." | "I have therefore tonight told Ed Miliband I will resign from the shadow cabinet." |
Labour MPs said she had been right to stand down. | |
Chris Bryant told the BBC "the first rule of politics is surely that you respect the voters". | |
"She was absolutely wrong to tweet what she did," he said. "All I can say is, if somebody came into my constituency and did that, I would be furious." | |
'Horrendous' | |
And John Mann said the incident was "horrendous" for Labour. | |
"It insults people like me, it insults the people I know - my friends and family - Labour voters across the country because white vans, England flags, they're Labour values and actually pretty routine Labour values for most of us," he told Today. | |
He praised Mr Miliband's response, adding: "I think this is a different approach from the Labour leader and his message came out very, very clearly last night and she's had to go, she's been forced out." | |
Mr Farage suggested the episode reflected broader attitudes within parts of the Labour Party. | |
"The Labour Party hate the concept of Englishness," he told the BBC News Channel. "They have done for a very long time. | |
"New Labour can't even stand the concept of patriotism. They think the flag somehow is unpleasant, backward-looking and nasty. People like Emily Thornberry would rather we had that blue flag with 12 stars on it that comes to us from Brussels." | |
Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused Ms Thornberry of "sneering at the electorate of Rochester". | Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused Ms Thornberry of "sneering at the electorate of Rochester". |