BBC’s Laura hit by sexist abuse from pro-Corbyn trolls
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has been subjected to a barrage of ‘sexist and hateful abuse’ in an online petition calling for her to be sacked.
More than 35,000 people signed up to a campaign against her amid claims her reporting on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the party was biased.
But the Sack Laura Kuenssberg petition on political website 38 Degrees has been removed after it attracted vile messages against the presenter and saw her called a ‘bitch’ on social media.
Labour MP Jess Phillips said the attacks against Miss Kuenssberg, which were prompted by her coverage of last week’s local and regional elections, were underlined with ‘institutional sexism’.
Sir Paul Beresford, the Tory MP for Mole Valley, added: ‘It is astonishing that people could do this. I have been extremely impressed by Laura Kuenssberg, she’s a breath of fresh air.
‘I find 38 Degrees biased, and in my opinion it is full of Left-wing slanted opinions, driven by supporters of Jeremy Corbyn.’
The message accompanying the petition stated: ‘Should the independent review [demanded by the petition] find Laura Kuenssberg to have been less than impartial and/or find her to take a partisan position we would ask that she is moved to a role that is more suitable.’ One supporter of the petition wrote on social media: ‘@bbclaurak As a woman and feminist I despise your biased reporting and snarling countenance when you mention Jeremy Corbyn.’
David Babbs, executive director of 38 Degrees, said the petition had been taken down by the creator, reported to be Joe Haydon, after it was ‘hijacked’.
He said: ‘I am really concerned that a petition hosted on the 38 Degrees website has been hijacked, and used as a focal point for sexist and hateful abuse towards Laura Kuenssberg on Twitter.
‘That is totally unacceptable and, with the agreement of the petition starter, we’ve taken the petition down to prevent it being used in this way.
‘There is no place in the 38 Degrees family for sexism or any form of discrimination or hate speech.’
It is not the first time that Miss Kuenssberg – who joined the BBC on its graduate scheme in 2000 – has come under fire.
Having left the BBC to become business editor at ITV in 2011 she then rejoined the corporation in 2014 as Newsnight host, and her £200,000 salary is said to have angered BBC staff.
And she has not been without criticism since taking over as political editor from Nick Robinson last July.
In January she was accused of being anti-Corbyn, when shadow foreign office minister Stephen Doughty resigned live on air during her Daily Politics show.
‘It is astonishing people did this’