Brexiteer accused of racism after saying black Remain activist 'looks like Diane Abbott'

The director of communications for Leave.EU has been accused of racism after saying a black Remain activist “looks like” Diane Abbott with a "more glowing complexion".

Several Twitter users reported Andy Wigmore, another self-professed “Bad Boy of Brexit”, for racial abuse over his “vile” comments about Femi Oluwole.

In response to Femi pointing out that No-Deal parties gained 44.5 percent of the vote in the EU elections compared to 54.5 percent for those backing a People’s Vote, Mr Wigmore wrote:

Have you eaten @HackneyAbbott Femi? 

You sound like her, you have a grasp of numbers second only to her AND you even look like her, although you have much more of glowing complexion.

Mr Wigmore's comments came just days after alleged Brexit Party supporters were filmed shouting "go home" as Neena Gill, a British-Asian MEP, gave her acceptance speech.

The Remain activist struck back and was quick to point out that Leave.EU, UKIP and the Brexit Party are all part of one sorry chain of events.

Mr Wigmore is hoping to join close associate Nigel Farage in meeting Donald Trump during next week's state visit.

Many were quick to call out the Leave campaigner's "revolting" statement, which has still not been deleted 19 hours later.

The Brexit Party, UKIP and the Leave campaign have all been accused of stoking xenophobic discontent within the UK. While the movement's leaders have long denied these accusations, some saw Mr Wigmore's tweet as evidence of certain motivations within these campaigns.

Ms Abbott, who has suffered a disproportionate amount of abuse in her time as a black female MP, is yet to comment.

Mr Wigmore on Friday morning said his attack was "rude but not racist" and branded the accusations against him as "complete fake remoaner outrage as usual".

He posted a response from the social media site which said, "we could not identify any violations of the Twitter rules".

In the words of Will Self moments before staring down an angry Mark Francois:

[It’s] not that you have to be a racist or an anti-semite to vote for Brexit. It’s just that every racist and anti-semite in the country did.