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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.
Alongside the picture, she wrote: "Image from Rochester." UKIP said she had "sneered, and looked down her nose at a white van in Strood with the cross of St George on it".
The resident of the house said she was a "snob", while Labour backbencher John Mann said she was "out of touch". Labour leader Ed Miliband was "angry" at her, a senior figure told the BBC.
Dan Ware, who lives in the property, told the Sun: "I've not got a clue who she is - but she's a snob. The resident of the house, Dan Ware, said Ms Thornberry - the MP for Islington South and Finsbury - was a "snob",
"We put the flags up for the World Cup and will continue to fly them." "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."
The by-election was triggered when Conservative MP Mark Reckless defected to UKIP and resigned his seat to seek re-election. 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."
Mr Reckless won the by-election with 16,867 votes. Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst came second with 13,947. Labour came third in the high-profile poll behind UKIP, which won the seat and saw its second MP elected to Westminster.
Labour's Naushabah Khan was third on 6,713, with the Green's Clive Gregory next with 1,692 votes and the Liberal Democrats with 349. '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 ThornberryEmily 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 since posting the tweet. 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.
A Labour source said it was during the second conversation she said she thought the right thing to do was resign. Mr Miliband agreed.
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. "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."
"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's Chris Bryant told the BBC: "The first rule of politics is surely that you respect the voters. Labour MPs said she had been right to stand down.
"She was absolutely wrong to tweet what she did, and absolutely right to have resigned." Chris Bryant told the BBC "the first rule of politics is surely that you respect the voters".
He added: "All I can say is, if somebody came into my constituency and did that, I would be furious." "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."
Earlier, UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted: "What is Labour's Emily Thornberry trying to imply about Rochester and Strood? I suspect she's let Miliband's mask slip." '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".