'Put your phone down you prat!' Labour MP Diane Abbott accused of disrespect after live tweeting from Tony Benn's funeral

Labour MP Diane Abbott was criticised today after she live tweeted from inside Tony Benn's funeral.
The politician sent a series of messages to her 63,000 followers as she waited for the service to start at St Margaret's church in Westminster.

Her running commentary led to be her being branded disrespectful, a 'prat' and 'tacky and horrible'.

Left-wing firebrand Tony Benn, who spent more than 50 years as an MP, died two weeks ago aged 88.

Criticism: Hackney MP Diane Abbott, pictured today, has been accused of disrespect after tweeting from inside Tony Benn's funeral

Around 750 politicians and public figures, including Cherie Blair, Labour leader Ed Miliband and  Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, paid their last
respects at an emotional service in Westminster's St Margaret's, known as 'the parish church of the House of Commons'.
As they gathered Diane Abbott tweeted a picture of the order of service and said she was sat behind Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and next to former Home Secretary Jack Straw.
'In St Margaret's Westminster waiting for #TonyBenn funeral to begin. Greatest Labour politician of his generation,' she also wrote. But her messages, seen by her 63,000 followers, sparked anger, with one urging her: 'Put your phone down you prat!'.
Heather Williams wrote: '@HackneyAbbott Live tweeting from a funeral. Horrible and tacky'.

Diane Abbott leave St.Margaret's Church in central London with former Labour Minister Jack Straw and other mourners following the hour-long service

Diane Abbott, Cherie and tearful Sally Bercow at Benn service

Messages: Tweets from MP Diane Abbott's account described the scene inside the funeral - but it sparked fury from others online

Ben Kay tweeted: '@HackneyAbbott Put the mobile down and pay some attention to the funeral. You're lucky to be there'
@finkowska said: '@HackneyAbbott Do you think live-tweeting a funeral is the respectful way to conduct yourself?'.
Paddy Emond ‏said simply: '@HackneyAbbott stop tweeting, you're at a funeral'.
Diane Abbott's spokesman did not issue an apology and said: 'Ms Abbott was tweeting prior to the beginning of the funeral and did not tweet during the service'.

Funeral: Ms Abbott tweeted from within St Margaret's, often referred to as the parish church of the Commons. Mr Benn's coffin was carried in by his children and grandchildren

Tony Benn's MP son carries his father's coffin to Westminster