RUPA HUQ has been reinstated as Labour MP five months after her suspension from the party after her comments about former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.
Last year, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton described Kwarteng as “superficially black” because of his educational background and the way he spoke.
Labour suspended the whip after the widely criticised comment. Huq sat in the Commons as an independent lawmaker till her reinstatement last Friday (3).
The MP said she completed anti-racism and bias training during her suspension and “reflected on the offence” caused by her remarks.
Huq’s comments on Kwarteng were made at a fringe event organised by the Black Equity Organisation on the sidelines of a Labour conference in Liverpool in September last year.
She said, “He’s superficially, he’s, a black man but again he’s got more in common… he went to Eton, he went to a very expensive prep school, all the way through top schools in the country.
“If you hear him on the Today programme you wouldn’t know he’s black.”
As the clip of the comments was leaked, Huq tweeted the following day, saying she contacted Kwarteng to offer her “heartfelt apologies” for her “ill-judged” comments.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer insisted her remarks were “racist” and said she had been suspended from the party “very, very quickly”.
London mayor Sadiq Khan also said Huq was “wrong” although he felt the MP was not “not racist” herself.
Khan felt her comment implied “all black people speak a certain way and all black people are working class.”
Labour restored Huq’s whip following support from campaigners who brought her anti-racism credentials, including her support for George Floyd-related rallies, to the notice of Sir Starmer, the Voice reported.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)