MP Under Fire For Tweet About 'Punching' Journalist

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant is under fire for tweeting about "punching" newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown "in the throat".

The journalist has demanded that Prime Minister David Cameron take action over Mr Fabricant's tweet, which followed Yasmin Alibhai-Brown's appearance during a Channel 4 News discussion with magazine columnist Rod Little on Thursday night.

He tweeted this morning: "I could never appear on a discussion prog with @y_alibhai I would either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat."

Before that he also referred her as "ghastly" in another tweet and retweeted another post that said she "should be deported".

Mrs Alibhai-Brown, a Muslim journalist who came to Britain from Uganda in 1972, responded that an apology was not enough and said the Lichfield MP should have his party whip withdrawn and that "the Tories can't bear people like me" and added "they cannot accept we are confident".

Fabricant immediately apologised for his comment in several tweets insisting it was not a serious threat of violence.

".Sorry @y_alibhai if you actually thought I would punch you. I actually don't do that sort of thing. But you are utterly infuriating! Xx," was one of the tweets he posted.

The journalist rejected the apologises and said: "@Mike_Fabricant the tweet was offensive & your 'apology' useless. Tories like you think people like me should be ayahs or selling you curry."

Number 10 spokesman said Mr Fabircant's remarks were "completely unacceptable" and "in poor taste", adding there is "never any excuse to suggest violence."

(CVS/IT)