Frances Barber - Not Really Racist

Accusations of bringing the Labour Party into disrepute seem to be quite the thing right now, and if actor Frances Barber is still a member - even after her meltdown over Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, typified by her bizarre response to the Nice truck attack and her rabid Islamophobia - she may have put herself in pole position to get herself thus charged.

A D-list thesp has problems with ...

... an A-list politician

As so often with Ms Barber’s most upfront Twitter outbursts, it seems the event which has drawn such condemnation occurred late at night, when perhaps she would have been better advised to step away from the keyboard. Her gripe, as so often, was Labour and its current leadership. Her knowledge of the issues at hand was, as ever, deficient.

The ridiculous claims made in the Murdoch Sunday Times about Russian Twitter bots supporting Labour at last year’s General Election she swallowed whole. That was not a good start. Then, in response to someone pointing out that Tories have been in receipt of Russian-linked money, she snapped “Jeremy Corbyn took an eye watering £20K from Press TV”. Press TV, on which Jezza no longer appears, is not Russian.

Still, if at first you don’t succeed, try sucking some more seed, eh? And so it came to pass that she dropped the not really racist one, moaning “Yet again I’m fuming. Wind rush [sic] is a horrible disgrace. But the thought of Abbott crowing about the resignation of a Real Home office minister when we might have this hapless creature is anathema”. Got that? According to Ms Barber, Diane Abbott is a “hapless creature”.

And she wouldn’t be a “real” Home Office minister if Labour returned to Government. Would there be a retraction, a second thought, even? You jest. It was then on to yet more smears: “They want Stalinism. Seumus [sic] says as much. Don’t be deceived … I am more despondent about our so called Leaders than ever in my lifetime”.

There was more, and more that she got wrong: “Corbyn made a speech in N. E. Attacking immigrants. The hypocrisy is stunning”. It was in Scotland, and he wasn’t, but mere details, eh? The adverse comment was not long in coming.

Jo Phillips observed “Frances Barber here calling Diane Abbott a ‘hapless creature’. She does have form of course but this is especially nasty”. A Tweeter called James was rather less reserved: “Absolutely disgusting. This lady has supposedly cancelled her membership of @UKLabour, she should never be welcomed back in. This is racist, clearly bulling and utterly abusive”. It certainly isn’t the most classy of looks.

Still oblivious to the condemnation, Ms Barber then told anyone still awake the following day “Blocking spree this morning of all those that think Diane Abott [sic] would be a great Home Secretary. I give up”. If only she would.

Certainly if Frances Barber has cancelled her Labour membership then she won’t be able to do a Dan Hodges and rejoin just for the opportunity to flounce out again. Another late night outpouring of prejudice to go with all the others. No change there, then.