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Dianne Abbott wrote that Jews ‘are not all their lives subject to racism,’ later tweeting an apology ‘wholly and unreservedly withdrawing remarks.’
By i24 News via The Algemeiner
The UK’s main opposition party suspended member Diane Abbott as an MP on Sunday, following comments she made that Jewish people have not been subjected to racism “all their lives.”
The suspension will remain in place as an investigation into her comments unfolds, the Labour Party said.
Abbott wrote in a letter to the Observer newspaper that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all “experience prejudice” similar to that suffered by “white people with points of difference, such as redheads. But they are not all their lives subject to racism.”
“At the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships,” Abbot added.
The suspended MP was well known and is widely respected after becoming the first black woman to become a member of Parliament in the UK.
Abbot was a key ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, were she served as the shadow interior minister under his tenure. Corbyn himself was widely accused of antisemitic marks over the past few decades.
In a statement announcing her suspension, Labour condemned the remarks made by Abbot.
“The Labour Party completely condemns these comments, which are deeply offensive and wrong,” said a party spokesman. “The chief whip has suspended the Labour whip from Diane Abbott pending an investigation.”
Abbot tweeted an apology over her remarks, saying she “wholly and unreservedly withdraw her remarks.” The suspended member said the draft of the letter was sent to the newspaper as an error.
“Racism takes many forms and it is completely undeniable that Jewish have suffered its monstrous effects,” Abbot said.
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