STORY
Diane Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has once again courted controversy, declaring today that she is not sorry for an article where she was accused of racism and for which she had previously apologised and withdrawn. Her comments come at a delicate time for the Labour Party, which under its new leadership is striving to project an image of inclusivity and a firm stance against all forms of hatred.
Abbott denied allegations of race hatred, saying in an interview with the BBC:
“Well of course, and I do get a bit weary of people trying to pin the antisemitic label on me because I’ve spent a lifetime fighting racism of all kinds and in particular fighting antisemitism, partly because of the nature of my constituency.”
A spokesperson for the Labour Party said in a statement:
“There is no place for antisemitism in the Labour Party. We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with Labour Party’s rules and procedures.”