Labour’s Diane Abbott claims ‘hostile atmosphere’ on Question Time

Labour’s shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott claims the BBC whipped up a ‘hostile atmosphere’ against her ahead of Question Time appearance

  • Ms Abbott said she was ‘jeered at and interrupted’ more than any other panellist
  • Audience members claimed they had seen her being targeted in the warm-up
  • The BBC rejected the claims and said Ms Abbott had not been treated unfairly 

Diane Abbott has said there was a ‘hostile atmosphere whipped up’ against her on the BBC’s Question Time last night.

The Labour frontbencher said she had been ‘jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist’ on the flagship programme. 

During the programme she clashed with panellist Isabel Oakeshott about Labour’s standing in the polls.  

Two Twitter users who said they were audience members claimed Ms Abbott had also been targeted in the warm-up to the show. 

But the BBC rejected the claims, saying the reports on social media were ‘inaccurate and misleading’ and that Ms Abbott had not been treated unfairly. 

A spokesman for Ms Abbott told the Guardian: ‘It was clear that a hostile atmosphere was whipped up, propped up by reports of inappropriate and sexist commentary in the audience warm-up session.

‘Analysis of the programme shows that the only black woman on the panel was jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist, including by the chair herself.’

The BBC programme was complicit in ‘legitimising mistreatment, bias and abuse against Ms Abbott as a black woman in public life,’ the spokesman said.  


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One audience member claimed on Twitter that there was ‘was some humour at Diane’s expense from BBC staff before the recording’.

Another said: ‘The way they stoked up the anti Dianne Abbott sentiment before hand was appalling.’ 

In one combative exchange during the programme the shadow home secretary hit back at incorrect claims that Labour was struggling in the polls. 

Diane Abbott (right) said she had been ‘jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist’ on the flagship BBC programme presented by Fiona Bruce (left)

Isabel Oakeshott said Labour was ‘miles behind’ the Conservatives in the polls, saying it was a ‘damning indictment’ of party leader Jeremy Corbyn. 

The two parties have been neck-and-neck in recent polls with Labour ahead in some surveys while another showed the Tories with a lead of five points.  

Ms Abbott said the parties were ‘level pegging’ and pointed out that Mr Corbyn had substantially narrowed the Tories’ poll lead during the 2017 election campaign.  

A BBC spokesperson said tonight: ‘We are sorry to hear Diane Abbott’s concerns over last night’s edition of Question Time.

‘We have contacted her team today to reassure them that reports circulating on social media are inaccurate and misleading. 

‘Diane is a regular and important contributor to the programme. We firmly reject claims that any of the panel was treated unfairly either before or during the recording.’  

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