'Not true' we want Diane Abbott out, minister says

A MINISTER denied Diane Abbott’s assertion that the Labour leadership wants her out of the party following her suspension after she doubled down on comments about racism.

- NINA LLOYD AND HELEN CORBETT

Exchequer secretary to the Treasury James Murray said it was “absolutely not the case” that Number 10 had wanted to remove the whip, which the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP lost on Thursday.

Ms Abbott was previously suspended from the party after she suggested in 2023 that Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism.

She later apologised for the remarks and was readmitted just in time to stand as the Labour candidate in her seat at the general election last year.

But in an interview broadcast this week, Ms Abbott, the Mother of the House who has represented her constituency since 1987, said she did not regret the incident, which led to a second suspension.

Following her suspension, Ms Abbott told BBC Newsnight: “It is obvious this Labour leadership wants me out.”

“That's absolutely not the case,” Mr Murray told Times Radio yesterday.

“What's happened is Diane has made some comments which come on the back of previous comments which she made and for which she apologised some time ago.”