Where's Diane Abbott?

[StockholmO]

Haven't heard a squeak out of her during your election campaign.

Are they saving the big hitters until later or has she been muted?

[Lovejoy]

She was muted during the run up to the last election because she was embarrassing the Labour party, perhaps they have done the same this time.

[tuffers#1]

Her & Jacob Rhys Mogg have gone to Bocco Island

[Max B Gold]

Probably in her kip this time of night.

[Thor]

The less we see of her the better things are. A fellow border on here said she’s his mp and that she is utterly useless. Not sure you could get a better recommendation than from a constituent.

We all know she’s in her position cos of the favours she given a certain steptoe. She is certainly not there on merit.

[EliotNes]

Who cares, she is embarrassing when she is out there, gets the Labour Party no votes from her media performances IMO

[RedDwarf 1881]

Who cares, she is embarrassing when she is out there, gets the Labour Party no votes from her media performances IMO

Apparently according to Diane Abbott, Al-Qaeda and the Tamil Tigers are only dissident groups and not terrorists . Also Corbyn reckons terrorists shouldn't have to serve their full term in prison . Boris has just been handed the election on a plate .

[spen666]

Who cares, she is embarrassing when she is out there, gets the Labour Party no votes from her media performances IMO

Apparently according to Diane Abbott, Al-Qaeda and the Tamil Tigers are only dissident groups and not terrorists . Also Corbyn reckons terrorists shouldn't have to serve their full term in prison . Boris has just been handed the election on a plate .

To be fair to Corbyn, his comments re serving full term were far more nuanced and not unreasonable in the context he was saying them.

I disagree with him on terrorists and national security.

Sadly for JC, he seems a little out dated when it comes to media interviews and soundbites. He doesnt come across well in this setting. He is far better as an orator than an interviewee

[Thor]

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Who cares, she is embarrassing when she is out there, gets the Labour Party no votes from her media performances IMO

Apparently according to Diane Abbott, Al-Qaeda and the Tamil Tigers are only dissident groups and not terrorists . Also Corbyn reckons terrorists shouldn't have to serve their full term in prison . Boris has just been handed the election on a plate .

That’s not what he said.

But I fully expect the MSM to report that he did, and thickies to believe it.

[StockholmO]

Still waiting for her to come to Jezza's aid in his hour of need. Granted her and Michael Portillo had chemistry sitting on the couch together. Also, for balance where's Jacob Rees Mogg?

[Redcard]

I done this subject to death and got all sorts of abuse for saying she is kept away from public scrutiny because she is just about the most incompetent person ever to grace the front benches, so I will make no further comment.

[Scuba Diver]

I done this subject to death and got all sorts of abuse for saying she is kept away from public scrutiny because she is just about the most incompetent person ever to grace the front benches, so I will make no further comment.

She's an embarrassment to the party, and her position is staggering.

Interesting that she's always banging the drum for racial and sexual equality as, she's only in the job because she's:
a) black
b) a woman.

It's an attempt to hoover up votes. This irony seems to be completely lost on her.
No way would a white male with her level of competence be considered for the role.

[Still's Carenae]

Hiding with Wally.

[slacker]

Abbott was campaigning with Unison members at Homerton Hospital this morning.

She has been pretty low profile this GE, but so have many other front-benchers on both sides. Few seem to bang on & on about that. Her counterpart - Priti Patel - hasn’t exactly been very visible either. But then her gaffe in a Torygraph column just the other day (Labour winning would see an increase of 52 murders in the country), that caused a few awkward moments for Johnson, might explain why Cummings is keeping her off the front pages & national TV too.

[spen666]

Abbott was campaigning with Unison members at Homerton Hospital this morning.

She has been pretty low profile this GE, but so have many other front-benchers on both sides. Few seem to bang on & on about that. Her counterpart - Priti Patel - hasn’t exactly been very visible either. But then her gaffe in a Torygraph column just the other day (Labour winning would see an increase of 52 murders in the country), that caused a few awkward moments for Johnson, might explain why Cummings is keeping her off the front pages & national TV too.

The worrying thing is that so many senior politicians on all sides are not trusted to be high profile in Election campaign but would be expected to represent the UK if their party won the election.

If they can't be trusted to campaign, are they really fit to lead this nation in negotiations etc with foreign powers.

Note, I am not making a party political point as this applies to politicians on all sides of the campaign

[Thor]

I actually agree with spen, the standard of politician is at an all time low right now.

[spen666]

I actually agree with spen, the standard of politician is at an all time low right now.

My concern is that party leaders deem them unsuitable for campaigning but will appoint them to represent the country.

What does that say about Party Leadership and its attitude to the country on a world stage

[slacker]

Well, like all of us some will have different skill sets & weaknesses, and not being a fantastic soundbite campaigner on the national stage shouldn’t write some off completely as useless. I look back at Churchill (great at soundbites and wartime motivation but a poor peacetime politician) and Attlee (the opposite) as examples.

I also think many of the current bunch (across the board) don’t have the skills to negotiate the 24/7 media minefield - be it either mainstream or social media. Maybe it’s an age thing, as most of them are older. Every mis-step gets amplified, scorned and widely distributed. But then a lot of people lap it up and seem to revel in seeing public figures (not just politicians) humiliated. It’s a sad state of affairs all round.

[StillSpike]

It's also worth noting that, especially on TV, the very nature of journalism seems to be changing. There seems to be this constant need for a "gotcha" moment - even relatively innocuous interviews now have an edge where the interviewer is trying to trip up the interviewee to get the "moment", rather than to explore the subject.

Some interviewers seem to be more interested in their own profile that getting to "the truth".

I don't know the price of a pint of milk - so why should Boris Johnson, for example?

[Max B Gold]

It's also worth noting that, especially on TV, the very nature of journalism seems to be changing. There seems to be this constant need for a "gotcha" moment - even relatively innocuous interviews now have an edge where the interviewer is trying to trip up the interviewee to get the "moment", rather than to explore the subject.

Some interviewers seem to be more interested in their own profile that getting to "the truth".

I don't know the price of a pint of milk - so why should Boris Johnson, for example?

I agree with that and it comes from the "competition" from internet "media" news where they are struggling to keep up with a lie machine and media manipulation.

For example, Kuenesberg tweets "news" generated by Conservative Party Central Office without fact checking it which is an ethical error and breaks BBC news guidelines. It is certainly not journalism.

There needs to be proper journalistic standards across all media and the first step in that process is to address the ownership issue.

[Mikero]

Also where is the Home Secretary and come to that any other female cabinet members, the only one put forward has been Nicky Morgan and she is not standing again. Its the same for Labour all the smart girls being kept quiet. I sense that any future leadership potential is being stiffled on both sides lest they appear more cogent than the two bumbling leaders and thats not difficult.

Mikero

[RedDwarf 1881]

I actually agree with spen, the standard of politician is at an all time low right now.

Yes, that’s undeniable.

[Max B Gold]

I actually agree with spen, the standard of politician is at an all time low right now.

Yes, that’s undeniable.

Yes but the Tories are worse because they tell more lies.

[Thor]

All politicians tell lies, always have done and thats across all parties nothing new in your comment.