Journalist Andrew Neil has been criticised on social media for a posting a message about claims that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn once had a relationship with Diane Abbott.
The veteran broadcaster and former The Sunday Times editor quizzed his more than 300,000 Twitter followers on whether the rumours about the two Commons colleagues was true.
Abbott now sits in Corbyn's shadow cabinet as Shadow International Development Secretary.
Can it really be true, as some report today, that me old mucker, Diane Abbott, had a "brief fling" with Jeremy Corbyn in the 1970s?
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) September 17, 2015But Ruth Davidson, leader of the Conservatives in Scotland and a prominent political tweeter, hit back at the question, pointing out that the "brief fling", as described by The Times, was purported to have happened before either was elected to Parliament.
"More importantly, who cares?" she hit back at Neil, adding: "As single adults before they were elected to Commons, surely this fails IPSO [the new press regulator] public interest test?"
.@afneil more importantly, who cares? As single adults, & before they were elected to Commons, surely this fails IPSOs public interest test?
— Ruth Davidson MSP (@RuthDavidsonMSP) September 17, 2015ITV's Europe Editor James Mates quickly waded in, commenting that, given Corbyn this week promoted Abbott to his front bench team, the story stood.
@RuthDavidsonMSP@afneil The one has just given the other rather an important job. Is their history really irrelevant?
— James Mates (@jamesmatesitv) September 17, 2015His response prompted Telegraph columnist and Labour supporter Dan Hodges to chime in too, asking: "We really saying we need to [sic] full disclosure on past relationships every time there's a reshuffle?'
@jamesmatesitv@RuthDavidsonMSP@afneil We really saying we need to full disclosure on past relationships every time there's a reshuffle?
— Dan Hodges (@DPJHodges) September 17, 2015Neil responded to the criticism, telling 36-year-old Davidson she should report newspapers that ran with the piece to Britain's press regulator if she really thought it breached their ethics code.
@RuthDavidsonMSP If you really think that why not take the papers reporting it to IPSO?
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) September 17, 2015"I'm sure Labour can fight their own battles. I get that there's scrutiny on potential PMs, but a 40y.o fling? Who's business is that?" she hit back.
@afneil I'm sure Labour can fight their own battles. I get that there's scrutiny on potential PMs, but a 40y.o. fling?Who's business is that
— Ruth Davidson MSP (@RuthDavidsonMSP) September 17, 2015Responding to Neil, who retorted that that issue was "trivial", Davidson warned that there could now be "plenty of politicians from their 20s" who had become "fair game" because of the reports carried by newspapers.
@afneil fair enough. I bet there are plenty politicians worried that every partner from their 20s is now fair game for a front page splash.
— Ruth Davidson MSP (@RuthDavidsonMSP) September 17, 2015She added as an afterthought:
@afneil I, of course, was practically a nun in my 20s....
— Ruth Davidson MSP (@RuthDavidsonMSP) September 17, 2015The news comes just one day after Corbyn took to the Commons to face Prime Minister David Cameron over the dispatch box, in his first verbal jousting as Labour leader at Prime Minister's Questions.
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