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26/06/2009
Foreign Office Denies 'Twitter' Comments
Several media outlets have been left red-faced after reporting a fake Twitter comment purporting to be from Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
The Foreign Office today denied Mr Miliband had an account on the micro blogging site.
Last night a number of news organisations quoted a statement they thought the politicians had posted following pop star Michael Jackson's death.
Someone impersonating Mr Miliband posted: "Never has one soared so high and yet dived so low. RIP Michael."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "A number of news outlets, including The Guardian, The Mirror, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, The Daily Express have reported 'David_Miliband' commenting on the death of Michael Jackson on Twitter last night."
The official revealed that recently "one or two" also picked up Tweets from 'David_Miliband' commenting on Bob Dylan's concert at the O2 Arena - which he did not attend.
"This is an apposite moment for us to point out (as some commentators suspect) that the Foreign Secretary does not have a Twitter account," he added.
This afternoon Mr Miliband gave an official statement on the death of Jackson.
He said: "The death of Michael Jackson is very sad news for his family, friends and fans. My thoughts are with his family at this time.
"But the instant Twitter put out in my name last night was not me."
(PR/JM)
The Foreign Office today denied Mr Miliband had an account on the micro blogging site.
Last night a number of news organisations quoted a statement they thought the politicians had posted following pop star Michael Jackson's death.
Someone impersonating Mr Miliband posted: "Never has one soared so high and yet dived so low. RIP Michael."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "A number of news outlets, including The Guardian, The Mirror, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, The Daily Express have reported 'David_Miliband' commenting on the death of Michael Jackson on Twitter last night."
The official revealed that recently "one or two" also picked up Tweets from 'David_Miliband' commenting on Bob Dylan's concert at the O2 Arena - which he did not attend.
"This is an apposite moment for us to point out (as some commentators suspect) that the Foreign Secretary does not have a Twitter account," he added.
This afternoon Mr Miliband gave an official statement on the death of Jackson.
He said: "The death of Michael Jackson is very sad news for his family, friends and fans. My thoughts are with his family at this time.
"But the instant Twitter put out in my name last night was not me."
(PR/JM)
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