Suspended Diane Abbott blasts ‘fraudulent’ disciplinary probe
The Hackney North MP, suspended in April over newspaper letter claiming Jews don't experience racism, claims she is being replaced as the Labour candidate 'prior to the next election”.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Suspended Labour MP Diane Abbott has issued a statement claiming she no longer has faith she will get a “fair hearing” over an investigation into the inflammatory letter she wrote to a newspaper claiming Jewish, Irish and Traveller people only experienced “prejudice” rather than racism.
In a lengthy message posted on social media, the Hackney North MP, who lost the Labour whip over the letter in April, claimed the party leadership wished to install its own candidate to stand in the London seat at the next election.
She claimed the internal investigation into the her decision to send the letter to the Observer newspaper was “fraudulent” and was now being entirely run out of Labour HQ “which reports to Keir Starmer”.
Abbott claimed she was told by the Labour chief whip to “actively engage” with the investigation, “but the Labour Whips are no long involved – it is now run entirely out of the Labour Party HQ, which reports to Keir Starmer”.
She claimed moves had now been taken to “replace me as the candidate prior to the next election”.
Abbott added in her post on X, previously known as Twitter:”The Labour Party has not charged me with antisemitism because they know it is untrue.” But the MP said the allegation had been used to “smear me, my reputation and decades of anti-racism work.”
As a Black woman, and someone on the left of the Labour Party, I have unfortunately been forced to reach the conclusion that I will not get a fair hearing from this Labour leadership. pic.twitter.com/jZjVCJxeVW
— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) September 19, 2023
She wrote that she had “immediately apologised” for the letter and claimed “others have committed far more grave offences” and that some had been “immediately excused” as supporters of Starmer.
In a hint as to why she had decided to release a statement now, Abbott referred in her statement to the replacement of elected officers in her own Hackney North CLP in July.
She then referenced the conviction of an-councillor in neighbouring Hackney South on child sex offences and his association with Hackney mayor Philip Glanville, who resigned last week, who Abbott claimed “continued to associate with him even after his arrest.”
Jewish News understands that Labour’s regional chiefs decided to intervene in Hackney North to prevent an issue that was a live police matter being discussed publicly.
They have subsequently installed a new set of officers into Hackney North CLP on an interim basis, while boundary changes that will affect the seat are finalised.
In her statement, Abbott claimed:”In effect the Labour apparatus has decapitated the elected leadership of the constituency party to install its own hand-picked personnel and replace me as the candidate prior to the next election.”
Labour sources alleged that it was “almost inconceivable” that Abbott would be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate at the next election, pending an investigation into the writing of the letter.
One party source claimed the content of the letter had effectively spelt out a “hierarchy of racism”, and the party would be betraying its commitments to the EHRC equalities watchdog were she allowed to stand for election again.
Labour insiders also highlighted claims that the Observer newspaper had checked the text of the letter with the MP’s office ahead of its publication.
Abbott, who has been an MP since 1987 and was the first black woman elected to Parliament, served as shadow home secretary in Mr Corbyn’s cabinet between 2016 to 2020.
A Labour Party spokesperson said of Abbott’s statement: “The Labour Party rightly expects the highest standards of behaviour from its elected representatives, and has introduced an independent complaints process to investigate cases.
“We do not give a running commentary on ongoing investigations.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
