Byline Times, the Waitrose shopper’s Skwawkbox, has had to distance itself from a xenophobic tweet sent by their Global Correspondent. The tweet’s text was bad enough, claiming “Muslims in Britain and India fear potential UK PM Rishi Sunak”. The accompanying image was even more eyebrow-raising…

British Future director Sunder Katwala slammed the post, tweeting “The idea that his father in law’s comments about Modi link Sunak to the BJP and Adolf Hitler is ludicrous. This seems to me an attack (motivated by partisanship) which crosses over into prejudice.”

Almost two days after CJ Werleman posted it, Byline Times were finally forced to distance themselves from the tweet:

CJ deleted the Tweet when we contacted him. Of course, we dissociate ourselves from this kind of stereotyping.

— Byline Times (@BylineTimes) July 27, 2022

No word on disciplinary action…

Today marks the ninth annual #PositiveTwitterDay, the day when we all try to be a bit nicer on the sometimes hellish social media platform. Guido and co-conspirators will be trying to engage even more civilly than normal today with cyber-nats, remainers, anti-vaxxers, socialists and wokesters…

Sunder Katwala has some thoughts on how you can play a part in making Twitter a more civil space on #PositiveTwitterDay today and participate in a number of ways:

• Try to have a conversation, not a shouting match, with someone with whom you don’t agree. Caps lock off.
• Tweet about somebody on the other side of a big debate – but whose views and perspective you have learnt something from, because of how they engage.
• Share a positive experience of using Twitter – how people rallied round to support you personally, or how it helped you spread the word about something that really mattered.
• Or just join in the discussion and show your support with the #PositiveTwitterDay hashtag.

Social media, or at least UK political Twitter, is a little less angry than it was during the Corbyn era or in the period between the referendum and Brexit. Use Positive Twitter Day to spark a broader conversation – on Twitter and elsewhere – about how we, as users, can shape the norms that we want on social media. Help spread a bit of civility in these polarised times. Twitter can be a place for the exchange of information rather than the abuse of political opponents. To tweet your support just click this link #PositiveTwitterDay

Since 2012 Sunder Katwala and Guido have been promoting the idea of the last Friday in August being one day of positive exchanges on Twitter. Next Friday will be the ninth annual #PositiveTwitterDay, where we all try to be a bit nicer on the internet’s favourite pressure cooker website. Guido’s Editor-in-Chief explained to the viewers of Sky News what it’s all about…

The political Twittersphere in particular can be a horribly nasty place. None of us is immune from negativity, Guido is a repeat offender. The Brexit battles made even usually reasonable people bad-tempered; that is now largely behind us. Wouldn’t it be pleasantly calming if, for at least one day, we all tried to be nice and civil in our tweets? We sorely need to try again…

Help spread a bit of civility in these polarised times. Twitter can be a place for the exchange of information rather than the abuse of political opponents. To tweet your support just click this link: #PositiveTwitterDay…