Abbott readmitted to the Labour Party after antisemitism row suspension

Diane Abbott has been readmitted to the Labour Party following an internal investigation, the veteran MP has said.

It follows an independent investigation into Abbott’s suspension from the the party  after she defended comments claiming Jewish people do not experience racism but “prejudice”.

The one year long probe has now concluded and recommended she be readmitted to the party, Jewish News has learned.

The 72-year-old Labour veteran and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was suspended for the second time in July last year after saying she did not regret remarks in which she claimed Jewish people do not experience racism but are instead subjected to “prejudice”.

The investigation, which was outsourced following changes to Labour’s disciplinary procedures recommended by the equalities watchdog the EHRC, who handed its findings to Labour’s chief whip.

It is understood the investigation suggested Abbott should be readmitted to the party, but that she should receive a formal warning and be warned not to repeat offensive remarks.

In a statement on social media Abbott said she had been “issued with a formal warning” over a separate tweet in which she referred to the Israel Defence Force as the “Jewish Defence Force”.

Apologising for the tweet, she said she had “used wording that conflates the actions of the state of Israel with the Jewish community” and was “deeply sorry for any hurt caused by that conflation”.

She added: “I have been and remain a lifelong anti-racist and remain deeply committed to opposing racism in all its forms.”

Jewish News understands that Abbott’s readmission is not linked to Andy Burnham becoming party leader.

The 72-year-old Labour veteran and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was suspended for the second time in July last year after saying she did not regret remarks in which she claimed Jewish people do not experience racism but are instead subjected to “prejudice”.

Communal organisations reacted furiously to news that Abbott could be allowed back into the party, which had earlier emerged in a report published by The Sun newspaper.

“It is hard to conceive of the whip being restored unless there is clear and sustained evidence of genuine remorse,” said Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg.

“The Prime Minister must explain how returning the Labour whip to Diane Abbott is consistent with his zero tolerance approach to antisemitism,” said the Jewish Leadership Council.

While a Jewish Labour Movement spokesperson said:”Diane Abbot has been readmitted to the Labour Party after a year’s suspension and with a formal warning.

“The outcome was reached following the conclusion of the Labour Party’s independent process, a process established following the EHRC report. It is correct that Diane Abbott’s case has been heard through this process.

“However, restoration of the whip, is a separate process and is not a given and does not need to be returned.

“Should Diane Abbott’s conduct as a Labour MP fall below what is expected for a third time, we will expect our Party to take firm and decisive action.”

But one Labour source admitted:”I guess decisions like this happen when you outsource your complaints process.”

In a letter to The Observer newspaper in 2023, Abbott argued that people of colour experienced racism “all their lives” and that this was different to the “prejudice” experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers.

Shortly after it was published, she issued a statement saying she wished to “wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them”.

In an interview last year on BBC Radio 4’s Reflections programme, she said she did not look back on the incident with regret.

“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,” said Abbott.

“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.”

Asked whether her original remarks were wrong, she responded: “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.”