In the news

I didn't mention 'professional', and as you suggest that has all sorts of partisan interpretations. The fact is I just honestly don't think they're good enough. I worked for a short while in local government, and came across a lot of people like the current Labour team. They were characterised by their contentment to operate their own realm, while showing little understanding of how to engage (and adjust) meaningfully with the realities of the outside world. They were bound by far too many years of second-rate working practices to stay within their own self-reinforcing world.

On the private school thing, her son says it was totally his choice and he pushed for it. Who knows. Not sure what the explanation is for the racism is though.

She's one of those politicians who never seems to come across well, always seems a bit of a joke figure and doesn't connect well with a lot of voters. I suspect not many people will be looking at her and thinking that she's a reason to try and get labour elected.

Yep, I'm amazed it isn't brought up more even now. Especially with all this talk of reintroducing grammar schools.

Blair's children going to the Oratory was similar.

State education is fine for your children but ours deserve better..

Oh, I think she comes across very well - she's very articulate.

OK yes you mentioned "second-rate" which I interpreted as "unprofessional".

That's fair enough, if you expect the current Labour team to be like the local government politicians you encountered they may indeed not be competent enough.

It's a moot point anyway, in a way, as I live in Northern Ireland. England has more voters, so this whole Brexit and finances thing ultimately comes down to Westminster and we have to suck it up.

As people are unwilling to give either Labour or Greens or LibDems a change, they will just not vote. Combined with FPTP and the arguing in Labour the die was always loaded towards the Tories being in government again.

You know who's first-rate and professional?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37584407

^ You couldn't make this up anymore.

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I've just read an 80 post thread on another messageboard that didn't have a single positive comment on Abbot, although the majority were probably labour voters. It's not an appointment that's going to win votes.

It's good that JC is making an effort on cutting down on travel expenses though with a shadow cabinet mainly made up of London MPs. It doesn't really help with the accusation of Labour being a metropolitan elite though.

Her surname is spelled with a double 't' at the end, you load of smelly non-Cambridge plebs.

I don't get this anti-Abbott feeling but am aware of it. My gut feeling tells me it's at least in part down to misogyny.

She's not very popular with racists either.

Can we go for a pint soon?

Yes, but there are black male politicians that don't seem half as disliked as her.

She's an intelligent, forthright black woman so she's kind of a bogeyperson for Telegraph readers. See also Baroness Lawrence.

And other female politicians who aren't so unpopular. People can be disliked for reasons of competence rather than there being an underlying reason linked to their sex/race.

Yes, I know, which is why I said it was a gut feeling, not one based on evidence or facts. I may be completely wrong, but I think she's charming.

She does seem to have a habit of getting up all the right peoples noses.

She also comes across as very London-centric which may explain why some like/dislike her.

I don't think she comes across well. I'm comfortable that that doesn't make me racist or sexist.

On the sofa with Portillo she is charming and funny, defending labour against accusations of antisemitism she's comes across as disingenuous.

She has a habit of being very condescending and patronising when defending topics that are hard to defend, i.e. such as the anti-semitism that is evident in parts of the Labour party.

I don't get this anti-Abbott feeling but am aware of it. My gut feeling tells me it's at least in part down to misogyny.

It's mainly due to her being rubbish. She's crap. She's my MP - what has she ever achieved?

She loves appearing on TV (and hoovering up the fees for it) but she once refused to come to Chatsworth Road because it was too far (it's in her constituency).

She has a habit of being very condescending and patronising when defending topics that are hard to defend, i.e. such as the anti-semitism that is evident in parts of the Labour party.

Also this.

She's not very popular with racists either.

She should know, as she is one. I should probably evidence that.

https://web.archive.org/web/20110807210338/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/diane-abbott-is-sorry-for-the-record-miss-finland-is-also-black-1354725.html

Here's another example:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/8994068/Diane-Abbott-White-people-love-playing-divide-and-rule.html