THE LABOUR PARTY has suspended Diane Abbott, the UK’s longest-serving female MP, after she repeated remarks on racism that had previously led to her suspension.
Abbott, a prominent figure in British left-wing politics and the first Black woman elected to parliament, was initially suspended by Labour in 2023 after she said the prejudice faced by Jewish people was similar to, but not the same as, racism.
She later apologised and withdrew the comments. Just weeks before the national election in July 2024, Abbott, 71, was readmitted into the Labour Party following internal criticism over her suspension.
Asked in an interview with BBC Radio on Thursday if she regretted the episode, she said: "No, not at all."
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don't know.
"But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black. They are different types of racism," Abbott said.
A Labour spokesperson said Abbott had been administratively suspended while an investigation takes place.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has pledged to tackle antisemitism within the party after allegations of discrimination and harassment against Jewish people under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Starmer has also taken disciplinary action against other Labour MPs during his time as leader, including four lawmakers suspended on Wednesday for organising opposition to the government's welfare reforms.
(With inputs from agencies)
FILE PHOTO: A woman walks past a poster displaying a message of defiance to the terror attack of May 22 at the Manchester Arena, in Manchester, northwest England on May 31, 2017. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
