Labour MP Neil Coyle apologises after being suspended over alleged Sinophobic racism

A Labour MP has apologised for an alleged Sinophobic racism, according to the recipient of the abuse, after being suspended by his party over the incident.

Neil Coyle, the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, was banned from bars in the Houses of Parliament this week after allegedly using a Chinese "trope" when speaking to a journalist.

He's now had the whip suspended over the comments, a Labour spokesman has said.

Henry Dyer, a journalist for Business Insider, said Mr Coyle was racist to him when the pair were discussing Barry Gardiner - an MP who received funds from an suspected Chinese spy.

Mr Coyle allegedly said Mr Gardiner was being paid by "Fu Manchu", a comment Mr Dyer said was "not right" because it referred to a "20th Century trope of a Chinese supervillain".

In another incident on the same night, Mr Coyle allegedly remarked that he could tell Mr Dyer was of Chinese descent because "you look like you've been giving renminbi [the Chinese currency] to Barry Gardiner".

Mr Dyer revealed that he had received an apology from Mr Coyle over the incident after widespread media coverage.

In a tweet, the journalist wrote: "This afternoon, Neil Coyle contacted me, and he offered his apologies for his inappropriate actions of last week.

"He reiterated that he will be complying with the Labour Party's investigation.

"I am grateful for the overwhelmingly kind messages of support and solidarity."

Mr Dyer said in an article that Mr Coyle's comments "were not just inappropriate but made me feel uncomfortable".

The MP is alleged to have made the comments in the Strangers' Bar in the Palace of Westminster on Chinese New Year, February 1.

Mr Coyle has apologised for the incident in a statement released to the media.

He said: "I’m very sorry for my insensitive comments, have apologised to everyone involved and will be cooperating fully with the investigation."

A Labour spokesperson said: "The Labour Party expects the highest standards of behaviour from all our MPs and we take allegations of this sort very seriously.

"Accordingly, the chief whip has now suspended the Labour whip from Neil Coyle pending an investigation."

It is not the first time Mr Coyle, who entered Parliament in 2015, has been involved in a controversy in the Strangers' Bar.

Mr Dyer claimed he had also witnessed Mr Coyle "angrily shouting at a Labour staffer" in the bar the previous evening.

And according to several witnesses, the MP allegedly launched a expletive-laiden tirade on Conservative MP Craig Williams on Monday, January 31, the day before the incident involving journalist Mr Dyer.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey appeared to reference the incident during a Commons select committee hearing on Wednesday this week.

Mr Coyle, a member of the Work and Pensions Committee, asked Ms Coffey about rumours involving her future as a minster.

He said: "There was a rumour that the Secretary of State was going to resign. Is that the reason why you can't answer any questions today? Because you've got one foot out of the door?"

Ms Coffey hit back: "Don't be ridiculous Neil. If you want to bring up gossip, I could bring up other stuff that happened downstairs."

House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle commented on the drinking culture in Parliament in an appearance on BBC Radio Five Live, accepting that "Strangers’ Bar has had a bad reputation".

He said: "People work very long hours and the fact is that to have a social drink is never a problem.

"We are a big village and within a village there is usually an outlet. Strangers’ Bar has had a bad reputation.

"I want it to have a better reputation... the right standards, the right protection and that it is there for social drinking, not heavy drinking.”