Suspended MPs a growing problem for Labour despite unity over Abbott

The veteran MP Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour whip following comments made in a letter to the Observer which suggested that Jewish, Traveller and Irish people do not experience racism, only “prejudice”. Abbott apologised shortly after, saying “errors arose in an initial draft being sent”, but the damage was done and a party spokesperson confirmed the suspension while the Hackney North MP is investigated over the “deeply offensive” comments. Abbott, the first Black woman to be elected to parliament, is widely respected for her historic career, but her only tweet since her suspension (which criticises the Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting) is hardly likely to endear her to the leadership as they weigh up her future.

Abbott’s letter has been heavily criticised by figures from across the party. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth described them as “utterly offensive” and Momentum co-founder Jon Lansman termed them “disgraceful”. Lord Mann, the former Labour MP who is now the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, said Abbott’s comments were “beyond the pale”. The former Labour MP Luciana Berger said the remarks would cause “anguish” and “deep upset”, and showed that Keir Starmer could “do even more” to combat antisemitism in the Labour Party. The Jewish Labour Movement said it “regretfully” backed the suspension, and Momentum said the whip should be restored following her apology.

The context of Labour’s recent troubled history with antisemitism, and an EHRC investigation which found the party had a particular problem, means much of the response has understandably focused on her comments on Jewish people. Yet Abbott’s comments about Travellers also put a spotlight on challenges for Labour’s relationship with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. In 2021, Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols apologised over leaflets vowing to “deal with Traveller incursions”, while Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins similarly backed down after saying he “would not want a Traveller site in his street”.

Abbott takes the total of MPs elected for Labour who now sit without the whip to seven: Neil Coyle, Christina Rees, Conor McGinn and Nick Brown are all currently sitting as independents while investigations are conducted. Claudia Webbe (who was convicted of harassment last year) and Jeremy Corbyn were both elected as Labour MPs in 2019 but stand no meaningful chance of returning to the Labour whip.

Hoping to join the Labour fray in the Commons in happier circumstances are four parliamentary candidates selected over the weekend. In the new Welsh seat of Clwyd East, Becky Gittens – local to the area, but a councillor in Coventry – was selected. Labour has also picked its candidate in another new Welsh seat, Mid- and South-Pembrokeshire, where Henry Tufnell will represent the party at the next election. Both are new seats formed out of constituencies that are currently Conservative held. In Scotland, Alison Taylor is to contest Paisley and Renfrewshire South, a seat she lost to the SNP’s Gavin Newlands in both 2017 and 2019. In Inverclyde, Martin McCluskey – who, like Taylor, contested the seat in 2017 and 2019 and lost to the SNP – was selected to take on the incumbent nationalist MP Ronnie Cowan.