Diane Abbott likened to Beatles Sergeant Pepper’s Hearts Club on BBC Question Time in Kensington

Diane Abbott was likened to a member of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band after she donned an unusual blue suit on Question Time last night.

The Labour MP’s outfit was compared to the famous Beatles album cover, as well as Michael Jackon, Star Trek and the Swedish Army uniform.    

Abbott sported a royal blue suit with white detailing for the BBC debate show in London, which Twitter users were quick to comment on.

 

BBC Question Time viewers appeared to be more interested in Diane Abbott’s fashion choices than her comments on the Grenfell disaster, comparing her outfit to the Beatles

Twitter exploded with comments about her bright blue suit (pictured) on Question Time last night

Twitter exploded with comments about her bright blue suit (pictured) on Question Time last night

One said: ‘Has Diane Abott come dressed as one of the people on the cover of the Sgt Peppers Album?’

Another wrote: ‘Nice of Diane Abott to show off her Sgt. Pepper Jacket.’

Someone else posted: ‘Diane Abbot’s turned up as Sgt Pepper tonight! ….’It was 20 years ago today….’ Or was it 50, 763, 429…. #Bbcqt’ 

Even more colourful comparisons ensued, with someone saying: ‘I’d like to be the first to congratulate Diane Abbott on her recent, surprising promotion to Starfleet Admiral.’

Another tweet read: ‘Had no idea Diane Abbott was such a big Star Trek Enterprise fan.’

More followed: ‘What is Diane Abbott wearing looks like she has come from band practice.’

Another one said: ‘And tonight Matthew, I’m gonna be, Freddy Mercury’ #DianeAbbot #bbcqt.’ 

Michael Jackson was the focus of other tweets: ‘Is Diane Abbott off to a Michael Jackson Tribute Show after?’

The Hackney MP appeared alongside Conservative housing minister Dominic Raab, ex-Met Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty and Camilla Cavendish, former head of policy for David Cameron. 

She spoke passionately in defence of the Grenfell Fire campaigners, alongside a number of other issues.

The episode of the current affairs programme was filmed at a church in Notting Hill, just half a mile from the Grenfell tower block where more than 70 people died last summer.  

One Twitter user posted: ‘All very well being part of the Swedish armed services but perhaps she should get changed before going on the telly.’

Despite the jovial tweets, others were concerned by the focus on her outfit and not her comments.

One person commented: ‘Everyone criticising Diane Abbott on twitter tonight is criticising her appearance. 

‘No one has said anything about any point she has made. That’s the problem right there.’

Someone else wrote: ‘Came on here to look at the #bbcqt hashtag. 

‘The fact all the tweets are about Diane Abott’s jacket, and not the subject – Grenfell, sums up everything that’s wrong with society.’ 

Asked whether the Grenfell fire, that killed over 70 people in north Kensington almost a year ago, was the result of putting money before, she blamed the Conservative-run council.

She said: ‘The Grenfell disaster was about the neglect of that part of north Kensington by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

‘And certainly the de-regulation looking at the cost of the cladding rather than protecting people also played a part

‘But because I am here in Kensington and Chelsea let me say this. Kensington and Chelsea failed the people of Grenfell. 

‘In the days after the fire it wasn’t the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea coming to help people, they depended on volunteers from the churches and the mosques. 

‘Then nearly a year later most of the people made homeless by the tower are not in permanent accommodation. A year later. 

‘The people of Grenfell, the survivors and the bereaved had to fight to have people on the panel of this enquiry. They should never have had to fight.

‘It should have been modelled on the Macphearson [Stephen Lawrence] Enquiry.

‘I just want to say because I’m here in Kensington that the Royal Borough of Kensington of Chelsea have failed the people of Grenfell. 

‘They failed them at the time of the fire and they are failing them now. 

‘It is long overdue that this Government sent commissioners in.’   



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