Diane Abbott has rolled back on her apology for a letter she wrote to the Observer in 2023 implying Jewish people couldn’t experience racism. The letter which lost her the whip until the election…
At the time she apologised: “I wish to wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them. The errors arose in an initial draft being sent. But there is no excuse, and I wish to apologise for any anguish caused.”
Now on BBC Radio 4’s Reflections programme she takes a different line. Asked if she regrets the letter she said: “No, not at all.” And 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. 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… 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.”
When Labour suspended the whip it said it “completely condemns these comments which are deeply offensive and wrong.” Will the whips now judge Abbott guilty of ‘persistent knobheadery’?
UPDATE: Labour spokesman: “There is no place for antisemitism in the Labour Party. We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with Labour Party’s rules and procedures.”
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”