Kerry Digs a Hole

If you don't like stories about Twitter then look away now. You have to admit that the social network has made it when it gets dissed by Tucker in a

brilliant episode

of the Thick of It this weekend. It's also remarkable for highlighting the utter stupidity of the Labour Party and it's leaders.

Kerry McCarthy

didn't have a very good day yesterday. The self-styled Twitter Tzar of the Labour Party upgraded from desperate to delusional.

As others have reported

she firstly came out with some ridiculous ideas about how political views defined what music people can and cannot listen to. Apparently you are only allowed to like bands and artists that support your chosen political party. Apparently you cannot like Phil Collins and The Smiths at the same time. Apparently Labour Party members who like James Blunt should be expelled because he supports the Tories. It would be a joke if it wasn't funny and the almost fervent zeal in which she tweeted prolifically cannot be batted away with an "oh I was only joking" this time. Especially as she then just got plain offensive when the chat turned to Stiff Little Fingers. Ironicly she attempted to tell people who is allowed to like punk. It all backfired though.

Shane Greer

, off the telly, grew up in Northern Ireland. Listening to him speak for four seconds would tell anyone that, however far their head was buried in the sand, or the bosom of the Labour Party whips office, or anywhere else for that matter.

Kerry refused

to be lectured by anyone about music and politics, especially not Shane apparently, continuing with the rubbish music and politics line from earlier: "@wallaceme @shanegreer To use that well-worn political phrase, I'm not taking any lessons about Northern Ireland from you two. Or music."

That hit a justified nerve with young Mr Greer who replied, through

multiple tweets

:

"You have got to be joking, surely? For the record, Kerry, I was born and raised in Northern Ireland. I've had friends targeted for being in the RUC, been attacked for being in the wrong area at the wrong time, watched my mother cry as she wondered whether she'd be able to get us home safely when riots broke out, had friends beaten for being the 'wrong' religion, went to NI's first integrated school. How dare you. How absolutely dare you. Something tells me though, that an apology won't be forthcoming. What a disgrace you are."

Kerry went into auto defence mode. Refusing to see she had cause offence, refused to justify her basis of dismissal and refusing to apologise. While there is nothing binding saying someone should apologise when offence is caused, there is something out there called common decency, a willingness to accept that sometimes you get something wrong and a maturity to realise that a sorry can go a long way to resolving things. Even if she didn't know Shane was from Northern Ireland she should have accepted she was wrong with retrospect, rather than just getting aggressive. Instead she just looks like a bit of a tit. Oh well it's just another nutter online right? It's not like she has any real power or influence...

Oh wait... Bugger.