Starmer offers Butler Labour’s “full support and solidarity” after racist abuse

Keir Starmer has taken to social media to say that he has offered Dawn Butler “the Labour Party’s full support and solidarity” following her decision to close her constituency office.

The Labour leader tweeted this afternoon to voice his support for the Brent Central MP after she reported that threats against her and her staff had “dramatically escalated” recently.

He said that “the racist abuse that Dawn and her staff have suffered is appalling”, and added: “Dawn’s voice is vital. The racism that our Black MPs face has no place in our society.”

LabourList understands that the Labour leader had wanted to speaks to the north London MP directly about the matter before issuing comment.

Butler announced in a letter to constituents on Wednesday that she had decided to close her constituency office after threats against her and her staff had “dramatically escalated”.

In the statement, she stressed that “whilst not the primary reason for its closure” there was a “continual security risk to everyone working within a very visible high street office”.

She revealed that she has had to work “extensively with police and security staff to simply try and create a safe working environment for my employees” as the incidents have intesified.

The Brent MP told residents that her staff have been “attacked in the office, verbally assaulted coming and going from work”, and that “bricks have been thrown through the windows and the frontage has been smashed”.

Butler also explained that the office had “become increasingly unaffordable” on the budget provided by parliament, requiring requests for additional funding, and that it was not large enough to be compliant with Covid-19 social distancing rules.