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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Diane Abbott suspended from Labour Party
Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation. A party spokesperson confirmed the decision to Sky News but did not give a reason comes after the veteran MP defended previous comments about racism which sparked an antisemitism row and . She apologised at the time and was readmitted back into the party just before last year's general election. A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing." Sky News understands that the suspension is who lost the whip yesterday for "repeated breaches" of party discipline, including voting against the government's welfare cuts. The investigation will look into comments in which she seemingly did not apologise for the controversy she sparked in April 2023. In a letter to The Observer which drew heavy criticism at the time, Ms Abbott argued that people of colour experienced racism "all their lives" and said that was different to the "prejudice" experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers. Shortly after it was published, she issued a statement in which she said she wished to "wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them". However in a new interview with BBC Radio 4's Reflections programme this week, she said she did not look back on the incident with regret. 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. "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." She 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 don't know why people would say that." Ms Abbott is the longest-serving female MP in the Commons, giving her the title "Mother of the House". She made history when she was elected as Britain's first black female MP for Labour in 1987. As an MP on the left of the party she has often clashed with the leadership throughout her career - bar her time serving in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet. Many MPs rallied in support of Ms Abbott last year when it was not clear if she would be reinstated in time for the general election, She went onto retain her seat of Hackney North and Stoke Newington with a majority of over 15,000. A source close to the matter told Sky News that she was readmitted last year after apologising and doing antisemitism training, so there is a "very slim chance" she will be allowed back in this time. It raises questions about whether she could join by Mr Corbyn and former Labour MP Zarah Sultana. For the mean time Ms Abbott will sit in the Commons as an independent MP. Adnan Hussain, who was elected as the independent MP for Blackburn last year, said on X: "We'd be honoured to have a giant like Diane join us, she [should] come to the side that would really appreciate her for the legend she is."
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labour suspends Diane Abbott for second time over racism comments
Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour party pending an investigation into an interview in which she said she did not regret her past comments on racism. The veteran Labour MP has been disciplined for the second time over her remarks that people of colour experienced racism 'all their lives', different to the 'prejudice' experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers. She first made the comments in a letter to the Observer in 2023 and was suspended from the party after Keir Starmer said they were antisemitic. She swiftly apologised and withdrew the remarks at the time, and was eventually readmitted, after a protracted investigation, in time to stand in the general election. In an interview with the BBC on Thursday, Abbott 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. '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.' A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.' Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion More details soon …
ABC News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The government responds to antisemitism report
The Federal Government is still considering its response to the plan by Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal to combat hatred against Jewish people. Tony Burke is the Minister for Home Affairs and he speaks to Sarah Ferguson.
ABC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The plan to combat antisemitism in Australia
Australia's special envoy to combat antisemitism Jillian Segal released her plan to tackle hatred against Jewish people on Thursday. The ambitious report targets schools, universities, the Department of Home Affairs, cultural institutions and public broadcasters, saying she would like to "monitor media organisations to encourage accurate, fair and responsible reporting" and to "avoid accepting false or distorted narratives." The Prime Minister joined the special envoy to launch the report. Jillian Segal spoke to Sarah Ferguson.
LBCI
26-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Netanyahu thanks Trump for 'support' over corruption trial
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his "heartfelt support" after Trump called for the Israeli premier's corruption trial to be cancelled. "I was deeply moved by your heartfelt support for me and your incredible support for Israel and the Jewish people," Netanyahu wrote on X, sharing a copy of Trump's Truth Social post in which the U.S. leader described the case against Netanyahu as a "witch hunt." AFP
