Britain’s first black woman lawmaker, Diane Abbott, announced on Wednesday that she had been barred from running as a Labour candidate in the upcoming July 4 election. This decision follows her suspension over a year ago due to her comments about Jews and racism. Abbott, who was first elected to parliament for Labour in 1987, has been an ardent campaigner against racism, poverty, and international issues in her northeast London district.
A close ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Abbott has faced significant scrutiny. Corbyn led the party from 2015 to 2020, a period during which the equalities watchdog accused Labour of unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination against Jews. Corbyn was succeeded by Keir Starmer, who is currently favored to become Britain’s next prime minister according to polls. Starmer has been actively working to purge the party of some of its left-wing members and address allegations of antisemitism.
Suspension and Controversy
“Although the whip has been restored, I am banned from standing as a Labour candidate,” Abbott told the BBC, referring to her reinstatement as a Labour MP following her suspension. The suspension came after she sent a letter to the Observer newspaper, stating that the prejudice experienced by Jewish people was similar to, but not the same as, racism. “They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable,” she 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.” Despite her unreserved apology, Abbott was suspended from the party.
Corbyn faced a similar fate when he was barred from running as a Labour candidate after claiming that antisemitism in Labour had been “dramatically overstated” for political reasons. He has since decided to run as an independent candidate.
Support and Criticism
The equalities watchdog launched an investigation into Labour in 2019, uncovering serious failings in how the party addressed antisemitism. Supporters of Abbott and some opposition lawmakers argue that she has been treated unfairly by the party. Jacqueline McKenzie, a human rights lawyer and friend of Abbott, told BBC Radio that Abbott should have been given “greater respect and greater dignity than to have these leaks.”
“We have seen other MPs say terrible things and have the whip restored and be allowed to stand. Why is Diane being treated differently? It also has some implications for the wider African Caribbean community … people are extremely concerned,” McKenzie added.
Throughout her tenure in parliament, Abbott has endured high levels of online racist and sexist abuse. In March, a Conservative Party donor apologized for remarks made in 2019, where he stated that looking at Abbott made him want to hate all Black women and that she “should be shot.”
