Diane Abbott, the UK's longest-serving female MP, is under renewed investigation by the Labour Party after reaffirming controversial views on racism in a recent BBC interview.
Labour MP Diane Abbott is once again facing scrutiny from her party after stating in a recent interview that she has no regrets over comments on racism that led to her year-long suspension in 2023.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Reflections programme, Abbott stood by her original argument that racism based on skin colour is different from other forms of prejudice.
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism," she said, noting that racial identity based on skin tone is immediately visible in public spaces.
Abbott had been suspended last year following a letter to The Observer in which she suggested that while Irish, Jewish, and Traveller communities face prejudice, it differs from the systemic racism experienced by people of colour.
The remarks drew criticism and were labelled antisemitic by Labour leader Keir Starmer at the time.
Though she later withdrew the comments and completed an antisemitism awareness course, Abbott’s latest reaffirmation has prompted the Labour Party to revisit the issue. A party spokesperson confirmed the remarks are being assessed under internal rules and procedures.
In the interview, Abbott rejected the idea that she had acted wrongly, saying, "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."
Abbott, who was reinstated into the party ahead of the July 2024 general election, also expressed fatigue at being labelled antisemitic. “I’ve spent a lifetime fighting racism of all kinds, including antisemitism,” she said, referencing her long-standing work within a diverse constituency.
Her remarks once again highlight a sensitive and ongoing debate in UK politics, how different forms of racism and discrimination are discussed, categorized, and understood in both public and political spaces.
While many argue for a unified approach to tackling all prejudice, others believe that distinctions in lived experience must be acknowledged.
Party tensions around Abbott’s future have remained high. Her readmission came amid speculation that she might be offered a peerage in exchange for stepping down — an offer she said she refused. “I was never going to do that. And I’m a Labour MP today, and I’m grateful,” she added.
As the Labour leadership continues efforts to consolidate control following internal dissent, Abbott’s case once again raises questions around how the party balances discipline with space for nuanced discussion on race and identity.
Picture credit: Wikimedia Commons / Alex Hilton (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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