Bookmaker accused of ‘casual racism’ over Diane Abbott mockery
Written by News on 17/12/2017
Star Sports Bookmakers has been accused of racism after it posted a picture of a man mocking Diane Abbott on Twitter.
The tweet was posted on Friday night and showed a man with his face covered in dark make-up at a darts competition holding up a sign reading 190 – a dig at the shadow home secretary’s blunder with numbers during the election campaign.
The maximum score with three darts is 180.
“An early contender for best fancy dress costume at the #PDC #WorldDartsChampionships tonight at #AllyPally,” was the caption.
It was retweeted almost 2,500 times as of Saturday evening.
Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, responded to the tweet, saying: “Wow @StarSports_Bet – guess it says what you really think of your customers that you promote this..hoping @Yourallypally expect better about those using their beautiful venue …as bookies or punters… #21stcenturycalling.”
However, the bookmakers defended itself, responding: “This wasn’t some guerrilla marketing stunt Stella, one of our team attended on a social night out. We thought it was a very impressive attempt at fancy dress and merely shared it with our followers. Please stop taking things so seriously.”
Ms Creasy then responded, calling the bookmakers out for “promoting casual racism”.
Star Sports Bookmakers declined to comment when contacted by the Press Association.
Other users also responded to the tweet with disdain, with one writing: “Ok I’m done with trying to explain racism to grown ups who should know better. This is 2017, not 1977.”
Another said: “So racism & misogyny are ok with you as long as it’s not a marketing stunt? Good to know your company’s values.”
However, not everyone shared the view that the costume was offensive.
“Get a sense of humour stella for god sake,” one person wrote.
Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott made headlines during the 2017 General Election campaign when she managed to fluff her numbers on policing live on the radio.
In September, research by Amnesty International found that of over 25,000 abusive messages and tweets sent to female politicians in the six months leading up to the general election, half were directed at Ms Abbott.
Ms Abbott has said that although she was subjected to abuse when she was elected 30 years ago, the sheer volume she now receives is overwhelming.
(c) Sky News 2017: Bookmaker accused of ‘casual racism’ over Diane Abbott mockery
