Will Labour suspend Diane Abbott – again?
In 2023, Abbott was suspended from Labour after she wrote a letter to the Observer which insisted that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people 'undoubtedly experience prejudice' that is 'similar to racism' – before adding: 'It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism.' The onetime shadow home secretary was quick to apologise at the time for her unsolicited musings on antisemitism and 'any anguish caused' by the letter, which was withdrawn. Yet on Wednesday this week, when asked on BBC Radio 4 if she regretted her remarks, Abbott replied: 'No, not at all.' That contrition lasted long, eh?
The Hackney North MP went on:
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 [their background]. 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.
It hasn't gone down well with Labour bosses, with a party spokesperson remarking:
There is no place for antisemitism in the Labour Party. We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with the Labour party's rules and procedures.
Uh oh. The Times reports that senior Labour sources expect Abbott to lose the whip, with one commenting that the punishment was for 'doubling down on something she previously had the whip withdrawn for… [she] shouldn't be immune because she's mother of the House'. For her part, the Corbynista has added:
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 just… I don't know why people would say that.
Well, Starmer's army certainly got a taste for discipline last night. Will Abbott become their latest target? Stay tuned…
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