Labour suspends whip from Neil Coyle after anti-Asian racism allegations

The Labour whip has been suspended from backbench MP Neil Coyle pending investigation, after allegations of anti-Asian racism and inappropriate conduct in a bar on the parliamentary estate were made public by a journalist.

A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party expects the highest standards of behaviour from all our MPs and we take allegations of this sort very seriously. Accordingly, the chief whip has now suspended the Labour whip from Neil Coyle pending an investigation.”

Insider politics reporter Henry Dyer revealed in a piece on Thursday evening that Coyle had told him he could tell that the journalist was British-Chinese “from how you look like you’ve been giving renminbi [the Chinese currency] to Barry Gardiner”.

They had been discussing the story of Gardiner, the Labour MP, receiving funding from a suspected Chinese spy. According to Dyer, Coyle had suggested Gardiner was being paid by “Fu Manchu”, a fictional Chinese supervillain character.

Dyer said he informed Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, after feeling “uncomfortable” when seeing Coyle again in Strangers’ bar the next day, when the MP “made no acknowledgement or recognition” of him.

“The Speaker and his staff took immediate action, in conjunction with the Serjeant at Arms and the House of Lords’ authorities, to suspend Coyle from the bars on the parliamentary estate pending an investigation by the Labour Whips office into the incidents on Monday and Tuesday evening,” Dyer wrote.

The Mail on Sunday reported last weekend that Coyle was suspended from the House of Commons and Lords bars pending an inquiry, as a row had erupted on the first evening of Strangers’ bar on the parliamentary estate being reopened after recess.

Coyle allegedly responded to a Labour staffer who had said Brexit worked out “fine” by shouting: “F**k you”. He also allegedly yelled: “Are you f**king insane?”. When a Tory MP stepped in, Coyle reportedly told him to “f**k off and lose some weight”.

LabourList understands that the first incident with the Labour aide and Tory MP occurred on Monday 31st January, and the second incident with Dyer took place the following evening, on Tuesday 1st February, both in Strangers’ bar.

HOPE not hate chief executive Nick Lowles said: “We welcome the decision made by the Labour Party to suspend Neil Coyle from the whip, pending investigation. The reports of Coyle’s behaviour towards a journalist of East Asian heritage reflect views which are deeply racist and unacceptable.

“We stand in solidarity with Henry Dyer. Given the rise in discrimination and hate that so many people of East Asian heritage have experienced during the pandemic, it is incredibly disturbing that this kind of sentiment has reached the corridors of power in Westminster.”

Update, 11.20am: Coyle has issued an apology today, saying: “I’m very sorry for my insensitive comments, have apologised to everyone involved and will be cooperating fully with the investigation.”

Update, 11.40am: Cat Neilan, UK political editor of Insider, tweeted shortly afterwards that Coyle’s statement of apology “hasn’t been sent to anyone in our team” – including Henry Dyer.

Update, 3pm: Henry Dyer has tweeted: “This afternoon, Neil Coyle contacted me, and he offered his apologies for his inappropriate actions of last week. He reiterated that he will be complying with the Labour Party’s investigation.”

LabourList understands Neil Coyle has sent the following message to regular canvassers in his local party: “So everyone is clear: I am very sorry about my insensitive comments last week and have apologised to the people involved. The party response is right and proper and an investigation is underway.

“This does not stop the campaign and I am more determined than ever to prove my Labour values and ensure w me make gains in May. I’m sorry to you all for any discomfort whilst this process is followed and look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail soon.”