BBC journalist gets 'death threats' after English Defence League interview
BBC presenter Andrew Neil says has had death threats after a fiery confrontation with English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson.
The interview was broadcast on the BBC's Sunday Politics show this morning, and saw Mr Neil repeatedly question Mr Robinson about his criminal past and the alleged fascist conduct of the EDL.
Writing on Twitter after the broadcast, Mr Neil said: "After EDL interview I've had death threats, been called a Muslim (whatever), an IRA sympathiser and of course a c***. All in a day's work."
Mr Robinson also took to the social networking site, and criticised the style of the interview. He wrote: "These interviews are not about debate or hearing our point of views but more about slandering and discrediting us."
Since the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich last month, the profile and perceived support of the EDL has grown.
The group has seen membership of its official Facebook group increase from about 20,000 to more than 140,000 since the killing.
The initial part of today's debate focused on the many different names used by Mr Robinson and his former membership of the British National Party (BNP).
Mr Neil went on to accuse the EDL of being an organisation with fascist overtones and also being unrepresentative of the working class and serving soldiers.
When reminded armed forces charity Help for Heroes refuses to take donations from the EDL, Mr Robinson said: "That's political correctness gone mad."
Mr Robinson also argued people who make Nazi salutes at EDL rallies or are convicted for criminal offences while using the name of the group should be taken to represent the whole organisation.
He said: "People who say they follow Islam are planning to blow this country up every week, every month, but you don't blame that on Islam as a religion, do you?
"People bend over backwards to say this is a minority within the Islamic ideology, but with the English Defence League we want to to carpet that blame across the whole organisation and its leadership."
Mr Neil drew both praise and anger from Twitter users, with some labelling him a "disgrace", while others praised him for taking on Mr Robinson.