Labour politicians and left wing media pundits have been attracting widespread criticism from the public for seeking to link the murder of fellow Labour MP Jo Cox to the Brexit campaign.
Neil Coyle, the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, provoked an outcry on Twitter when, during a tribute to Ms. Cox on Newsnight, he alluded to the Leave campaign and the referendum on European Union (EU) membership.
“I think that the kind of nonsense that they inspire online from anonymous accounts, and actually the core content of the poster they launched today, look at what they are putting out and I just think that they are very dangerous, and they risk inspiring extremist elements on the hard right in this country,” he told the programme’s presenter.
But viewers called his comments “low” and “opportunist,” saying he should be “ashamed”.
So Neil Coyle went from social media to the leave campaign to the far right in one sentence on newsnight
— Tiny Dancer (@philnmarks) June 16, 2016
Labour’s Neil Coyle connects #Brexit to hatred of immigrants, to inspiring far right, to Jo Cox. Pretty low. #newsnight
— ((( JeSuisBasil ))) (@MaraudingWinger) June 16, 2016
@danteandlobster @coyleneil To blame UKIP, #VoteLeave for what happened, is the mark of an opportunist. Mr. Coyle should be ashamed.
— E K D (@Leeds_Demon) June 17, 2016
Others reacted angrily to his tweets on the subject this morning, telling him to “keep his mouth shut”.
@coyleneil @Southwarkcathed @Jo_Cox1 keep your mouth shut and try not to ruin her memory’s with your political gains
— BlueNose-Jay (@JG16580057) June 17, 2016
But the majority of the opprobrium was reserved for Maria Eagle, one of the first to broadcast reports that the killer had shouted “Britain First” during the attack – a detail now denied by witnesses to the attack. Sky News appears to have reported the claim in its coverage thanks to Eagle’s tweet, which was later deleted.
BREAKING: Maria Eagle has now DELETED her tweet about the “Britain First” claim/shout pic.twitter.com/na2dDOAdqp
— Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) June 16, 2016
Twitter users called for Ms. Eagle to be sacked, telling the MP “shame on you”.
Maria Eagle Should be sacked or resign.She is a disgrace as both a person and a politician.
Mr Mair shouted nothing,The lefties 1 of 2— graeme sergeant (@SergeantGraeme) June 16, 2016
Will Maria eagle be coming out soon to explain her tweets, shame on all of you, today people can see you for what you are#BREXIT
— Marie (@marie52d) June 17, 2016
Maria Eagle MP has displayed her utter stupidity and unfitness for office by spreading unconfirmed propaganda about this horrific incident.
— John Reeves (@ReevesJek) June 16, 2016
Her colleague is shot and stabbed. What’s Maria Eagle’s first instinct? To use it to support her EU remain agenda. Classy …
— mgiambro (@mgiambro) June 16, 2016
Also in the firing line was LBC presenter James O’Brien, who used his show this morning to embark on an anti-UKIP, anti-Brexit rant, apparently inspired by Mrs. Cox’s death. The rant has been applauded by the Independent and liberal blog Political Scrapbook, but panned by the public who have called for his sacking.
James O’Brien on #LBC earlier essentially blamed the #VoteLeave campaign and #UKIP for Jo Cox murder. It should see him out of a job.
— Thomas Evans (@ThomasEvansGB) June 17, 2016
James O’Brien sunk to a new low this morning. Making political capital out of the tragedy of Jo Cox murder. @LBC . Disrespectful imo
— Neil Rogers (@ncr16) June 17, 2016
As Breitbart London has reported, these figures are just a taste of ‘Project Grief’ – the shameless exploitation of Mrs. Cox’s tragic and untimely death by Remain supporters world-wide.
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