Diane Abbott Says BBC’s Fiona Bruce Still To Apologise Over Question Time Row

Diane Abbott has criticised Question Time host Fiona Bruce following an appearance on the BBC show earlier this year.

Speaking to a Morning Star fringe event at the Labour Party conference, Abbott said she believes former host David Dimbleby “was fairer” than current presenter Ms Bruce.

Labour lodged a complaint against the BBC after the shadow home secretary said she was treated unfairly on the programme in January.

At the time, Abbott said she was repeatedly interrupted, with Bruce stepping in to correct her, wrongly, over the latest Labour polling figures.

The BBC has since acknowledged Abbott was right about the polling figures, but Labour said it wants an on-air apology.

At the fringe event – which was entitled “The Media War on Labour” – the audience booed and hissed after Abbott said: “I had an interesting experience with Fiona Bruce and Question Time.”

The senior Labour MP said she had been on Question Time with its previous presenters Robin Day and David Dimbleby.

She added: “I did it under Robin Day, that was a long time ago now. I did it under David Dimbleby very regularly.

“But David Dimbleby was fairer, in my opinion, than Fiona Bruce, and David Dimbleby did not wind up the audience against me before the programme went on air.

“And I have to say Fiona Bruce has yet to apologise.”