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Appearing on Sky News’ The Pledge, the LBC presenter hit back at Rachel Johnson, who blasted Theresa May’s personal attacks on Jeremy Corbyn and said her tactics were not working. But Ferrari defended the Prime Minister and put a hypothetical situation to the panel, dismissing the shadow home secretary’s ability to take a place in government. He said: “I don’t think for a second that dog-whistle politics – whatever you want to call it – is over.

GETTY•SKY NEWS Nick Ferrari took a brutal swipe at Diane Abbott in his hypothetical scenario

Politics is the business of personalities Nick Ferrari

“I think at times you have to be seen to play the man and not the ball for the simple reason of this: Imagine there was, God forbid, another outrage such as Manchester and it was announced that COBRA – ‘unfortunately the PM couldn’t be there, COBRA will be chaired by Diane Abbott’.” “That’s all you need to say because that again by personalising it I know – but politics is the business of personalities as you know, probably better than any of us around this table.” He said it was about deciding whether politicians had the “nous” to run the country.

Diane Abbott's most controversial quotes Fri, April 7, 2017 Outspoken Shadow Home Secretary, Diane Abbott holds strong opinions which does not always go down well. Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 11 Abortion is an issue of conscience for the Labour party.