Radio presenter Emma Barnett has complained of “abuse” from Jeremy Corbyn supporters after she subjected the Labour leader to a highly uncomfortable interview on Woman’s Hour this morning.
Corbyn was repeatedly unable to explain the cost of Labour’s plan to offer free childcare to two-year-olds, at one point even attempting to log in to his iPad to access the answer.
“It will cost… it will obviously cost a lot to do so, we accept that,” he said, when asked about the figures by Barnett, at 32 the youngest ever presenter of the Radio 4 flagship programme.
Pressed to provide the exact number, he said: “I’ll give you the figure in a moment.”
“You don’t know it? You’re logging into your iPad here – you’ve announced a major policy and you don’t know how much it will cost?” Barnett said.
“Can I give you the exact figure in a moment please?” Corbyn replied.
The interview continued in similarly excruciating fashion – but Barnett, who is from Manchester and also hosts Radio 5 live’s morning show 5 live Daily, has since been targeted by Corbyn supporters on Twitter.
So abuse from @jeremycorbyn supporters begins.He didn't know his figures plain & simple.Catch up on my interview @BBCWomansHour #womanshour
— Emma Barnett (@Emmabarnett) May 30, 2017
Considerable criticism – and some outright abuse – has since filled Barnett’s Twitter timeline, with one online Labour-supporting magazine even resorted to making anti-semetic allegations.
***BREAKING NEWS***
Allegations have surfaced that @Emmabarnett is a Zionist.
Are the allegations true Emma?
— Labour Insider (@Labour_Insider) May 30, 2017
Other, more level-headed critics included left-wing commentator and former BBC correspondent Paul Mason.
@Emmabarnett @jeremycorbyn @BBCWomansHour You repeatedly editorialised in a way no trained BBC journalist would, dropping in your own views / unsubstantiated claims
— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) May 30, 2017
Others, however, praised Barnett’s interview, with Times Literary Supplement publisher Stig Abell saying it showed she was a “much better” interviewer than Jeremy Paxman, who had grilled Corbyn on television last night.
Corbyn well-prepared for Paxman; totally unprepared for a much tougher interview by a much better interviewer, Emma Barnett. #womanshour
— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) May 30, 2017
Corbyn now struggling on his commitment NOT to walk away from Brexit talks whatever. @Emmabarnett is a proper interviewer. BBC #womanshour
— John Rentoul (@JohnRentoul) May 30, 2017
Glad lobby colleagues hearing how excellent my colleague @Emmabarnett is this morning
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) May 30, 2017
