UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour MP Diane Abbott defended her racist comments again, criticising Labour’s suspension decision and sparking fresh debate within the party and the public.
Diane Abbott’s views on her racist comments
MP Diane Abbott faced disciplinary action in April 2023 for writing a letter to The Observer, which argued racism against people of colour is different. She said it differs from the kind faced by Jewish, Irish, and Traveller groups.
She apologised and withdrew her comments, but Labour still suspended her after Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the letter as antisemitic.
Ms Abbott rejoined the party ahead of the general election, stating she had no regrets over her past comments and maintained her position on the matter.
During an interview on Thursday, she said,
“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.”
She added,
“You don’t know unless you stop to speak to them or you’re in a meeting with them. 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. You can spot that person of colour from hundreds of yards away. That is what is different.”
Ms Abboot stated,
“I just think that it’s silly to try and claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism. I don’t know why people would say that.”
The remarks came as Mr Starmer suspended four MPs from the party whip, amid mounting internal unrest.
As the longest-serving female MP, Ms Abbott-known as the Mother of the House, said she felt “a bit weary” of being branded antisemitic.
She stated that she had
“spent a lifetime fighting racism of all kinds and in particular fighting antisemitism, partly because of the nature of my constituency.”
When questioned about whether she was “hung out to dry” by party leaders over the fallout from her remarks, Ms Abbott said, “In the end, Keir Starmer had to restore the whip to me.”
She stated,
“I got tremendous support locally. We had a big rally on the steps of Hackney town hall. And in the end Keir Starmer and the people around him had to back off because of the support I had from the community.”
The Labour MP believed party leadership was “trying to get me out” and hinted she had been offered a Lords seat if she agreed to step down as an MP.
She said,
“I was never going to that. And I’m a Labour MP today, and I’m grateful.”
What did Diane Abbott write in her controversial letter?
Diane Abbott’s letter responded to Owolade’s article, claiming Jewish people often report facing racial abuse.
She wrote,
“It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice.”
Ms Abbott added,
“But they are not all their lives subject to racism. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus. In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships.”
Labour’s stance on Diane Abbott’s comments
A party spokesman stated,
“There is no place for anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.”
She added,
“We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures.”
Which Labour MPs were suspended over the welfare vote rebellion?
Labour removed 4 MPs from the party whip due to violations of party discipline.
- Brian Leishman – MP for Alloa and Grangemouth
- Chris Hinchliff – MP for North East Hertfordshire
- Neil Duncan-Jordan – MP for Poole
- Rachael Maskell – MP for York Central