Diane Abbott suspended by Labour Celebration after racism feedback
MP Diane Abbott has been suspended by the Labour Celebration pending an investigation into feedback she made about racism, the BBC understands.
The transfer additionally signifies that Abbott will sit as an unbiased MP, generally known as shedding the whip.
Labour mentioned it might not be commenting “whereas this investigation is ongoing”.
It comes after a BBC interview the place Abbott was requested a couple of 2023 controversy, when she was suspended as a Labour MP for a 12 months after feedback she made about racism in a letter to a newspaper.
Requested by the BBC’s James Naughtie if she appeared again on the entire incident with remorse, she mentioned: “No, by no means.”
In that letter to the Observer newspaper, she wrote that Irish, Jewish and Traveller individuals “undoubtedly expertise prejudice” that’s “just like racism”.
She wrote: “It’s true that many sorts of white individuals with factors of distinction, similar to redheads, can expertise this prejudice. However they aren’t all their lives topic to racism.”
Abbott was fast to withdraw the remarks, which have been closely criticised by Jewish and Traveller teams, and apologised “for any anguish precipitated”.
However she was suspended from the occasion and solely re-admitted simply earlier than final 12 months’s common election.
Within the newest interview, she mentioned: “Clearly, there have to be a distinction between racism which is about color and different sorts of racism, as a result of you possibly can see a Traveller or a Jewish individual strolling down the road, you do not know.
“You do not know until you cease to talk to them otherwise you’re in a gathering with them.
“However should you see a black individual strolling down the road, you see immediately that they are black. They’re several types of racism.”
She added: “I simply suppose that it is foolish to attempt to declare that racism which is about pores and skin color is similar as different sorts of racism.”
Abbott posted a clip on-line of her BBC interview after information of her suspension emerged, writing solely “That is the clip of my interview” and didn’t reply to requests for remark at the moment.
She later gave a quick assertion to BBC Newsnight, which mentioned: “It’s apparent this Labour management needs me out.
“My feedback within the interview with James Naughtie have been factually right, as any fair-minded individual would settle for.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner instructed the Guardian newspaper: “There is not any place for antisemitism within the Labour Celebration, and clearly the Labour Celebration has processes for that.
“Diane had mirrored on how she’d put that article collectively, and mentioned that ‘was not imagined to be the model’, and now to double down and say ‘Properly, truly I did not imply that. I truly meant what I initially mentioned’, I feel is an actual problem.”
Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell posted on X to defend his colleague.
He mentioned: “Earlier than individuals, together with Labour Celebration spokespersons, remark or resolve upon Diane Abbott’s destiny, might I counsel that they really hearken to Diane’s interview on BBC Reflections during which she forthrightly condemns antisemitism & discusses the totally different types of racism.”
In her BBC interview, Abbott was requested if she would condemn antisemitic behaviour in the identical approach she would racist behaviour towards somebody due to the color of their pores and skin.
She replied: “Properly in fact, and I do get a bit weary of individuals making an attempt to pin the antisemitic label on me as a result of I’ve spent a lifetime preventing racism of every kind and specifically preventing antisemitism, partly due to the character of my constituency.”
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP is the longest-serving feminine MP within the Commons, having entered Parliament in 1987.
She mentioned she was “grateful” to be a Labour MP within the BBC interview, however that she was certain the occasion management had been “making an attempt to get me out”.
Take heed to James Naughtie’s interview with Diane Abbott on BBC Sounds.
