'It was antisemitic': Keir Starmer 'absolutely condemns' Diane Abbott's comments on racism
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he absolutely condemns Diane Abbott's "antisemitic" comments that led to her suspension from the Labour Party.
In a letter published in The Observer on Sunday, Jeremy Corbyn's former shadow home secretary suggested Jewish people do not face racism, but instead experience prejudice in the same way as "redheads".
Ms Abbott had the whip suspended, with Mr Starmer telling broadcasters on Monday his response shows an "absolute commitment to zero tolerance" of antisemitism within his party.
'What she said was to be condemned, it was antisemitic', says Labour leader Keir Starmer
"In my view what she said was to be condemned, was antisemitic, and it was absolutely right we acted as swiftly as we did. That's the change that we've seen in the Labour Party, but do I condemn what she said? I absolutely condemn what she said," Mr Starmer said.
He added: "Do I want to show the Labour Party takes this seriously and acts very quickly? Yes I do, and that's why we acted as swiftly as we did yesterday."
Also speaking on Monday, the party's chief secretary to the Treasury, Pat McFadden, told ITV News: "Let's be clear, we have turned a page on the kind of antisemitism that coloured the Labour Party during the Jeremy Corbyn era. The turning of that page is genuine, and must be long-lasting."
Following huge backlash, including from a Tory Cabinet minister, Ms Abbott apologised for any "anguish" caused, suggesting "errors arose" in her initial draft to the newspaper.
But Mr McFadden said there's "an old formulation in apologies, where if someone says 'I'm sorry if you felt offended', I'm afraid that's not really what a fulsome apology is".
"The chief whip and party leader will have to consider this as we go forward," added Mr McFadden.
The Labour party had 'no choice' but to suspend Diane Abbott, says Labour's chief secretary to the Treasury, Pat McFadden
The future of the veteran MP, who was the first black woman elected to Parliament, will now be scrutinised as she sits as an independent alongside her ally and former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Corbyn was recently barred from standing for the party in the next general election, after he too had the whip removed in 2020 over his response to a report into Labour antisemitism.
Mr Starmer will hope his quick response to the Ms Abbot's comments will head off a fresh row over antisemitism within the party, with a spokesperson immediately condemning the remarks and the whip being removed shortly after.
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP wrote: “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. 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.”
The Jewish Labour Movement welcomed the move to suspend the whip, saying: "Diane Abbott is one of the most respected people in the Labour Party as an activist who overcame racism and prejudice to become Britain's first black woman MP.
"We should be unified in our struggle against racism, not divided against one another.
"A hierarchy of racism only divides communities and assists the racists. We must not allow this.
"We take seriously our responsibility to unite with friends and partners across the Labour movement to fight racism together."
What did Boris Johnson really know about Downing Street’s notorious parties? With fresh revelations from our sources, in their own words, listen to the definitive behind-closed-doors story of one of the biggest scandals of our era.