By Gavin Mackintosh -
Diane Abbott’s office has been sent a freedom of information request to inquire about the processes of her office in hiring staff for her press department.
The request was put in today after it emerged in January that her office had hired a secondary school student to answer the phone to the press. The inability of the teenager or her colleagues to deal with our inquiry competently led to an inquiry into the level of training Abbott’s staff receiv
When questioned by The Eye Of Media.Com about Abbott’s complaint that she was subjected to racism during her episode on BBC Question Time in January this year, the teenager on work experience became agitated and said she was on work experience and did able to answer the questions put to her.
The woman had been asked why Abbott felt she had been the victim of racism, but the press team had not prepared her for that question even though this had been a very recent issue in the press about Ms Abbott. The unnamed girl’s supervisor, Ayo then answered the phone and complained that the work experience girl had felt intimidated by questions she was asked.
Ayo spoke to the highly placed investigating journalist without pause, and in anger, not allowing him room to speak. She eventually slammed the phone down on the journalist who called back only to have the phone dropped on him again. As is typical with members of this organisation, it was seen as giving herself away and poorly representing Abbott who hired her and very likely appointed her to that post.
COMPLAINT
A complaint made to Abbott’s head press officer, Rachel Earlington about the incident was never replied to, prompting an investigation into the competence of Abbott’s press team after the hostile and unprofessional attitude of a teenage girl on work experience, and her supervisor. In fairness to Ms Earlington the damage had been done by her colleagues and she may have been in a difficult position on how to respond. The team saw it differently, assessing the entire press system at Abbott’s a shamble.
VICTIM
Abbott was one of a number of people being looked into as a victim of internet trolls and media recklessness or racism. After a complaint she made on Itv’s This morning show in 2017 for being called a nxxxxx was reported in the press in a way that focused on her and not her attackers, we launched an investigation into why the press treated her so badly when the the Labour Mp raised the issue about social media internet trolls again in December 2018.
The case was presented to a list of professionals for a close assessment over a few months. Views of press racism was suggested by some of those questioned, whilst others cited a lazy media interested mainly on selling stories. The eventual view taken was that the most convincing and evidence based reason was that the media copied one another since the same title was used by many media outlets. Media editors were unable to explain why they had failed to criticise internet trolls in their article, many shifting the blame on the journalists who wrote the articles.
INQUIRY
A review of Abbott’s complaint of racism during a January edition of Question Time had been the subject of the phone call, but one thing led to another and got out of her hand . Plans to pursue the inquiry into training provided to Abbott’s press team was sparked by a reaction to the rudeness and unprofessionalism displayed by some of them .
The idea was met with plenty of resistance from two black professionals who are part of a number of people consulted on matters relating to racism on the grounds that it such a process could have the effect of furthering the effect of racism the Labour Mp has been subjected to. A delay was allowed for those professionals to introduce and involve others they knew to the discussion. A number of them opposed the idea too.
However, it was decided after further consideration and discussions with our thinktank last week that where incompetence has been reflected in training provided to a Labour Mp’s press team, that incompetence might also be reflected in other aspects of her political affairs which could be a causative or influential factor in the bad treatment she receives from members of the public. It cannot be an excuse for inhumane treatment subjecting her to vile abuse, but a wider look at Abbott and her team was agreed upon then.
At our request, the BBC supplied a copy of the January Question Time episode for analysis. Some members of the team have watched it, but it was decided that every member watches it in detail for an individual and joint assessment of it. That process is expected to be completed soon.