UK: Diane Abbott Suspended as Labour Lawmaker

Facts

• UK Labour MP Diane Abbott has been suspended by her party pending an investigation into a letter written to and published by media outlet The Observer on Sunday that concerned the topic of racism.¹
• The former shadow home secretary's letter said that while Jewish, Irish, and Traveller communities have experienced "prejudice," such communities aren't all subject to racism throughout their lives despite the terms often being used "as if they are interchangeable."²
• Abbott, who said she was responding to parliamentarian Tomiwa Olowade's argument that such communities did experience racism, added that the prejudice faced by predominantly-white communities was similar to that experienced by "redheads."³
• The Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS) found that Gypsy, Roma, and Traveler communities, as well as Jewish people, were the most prevalent to answer that they had experienced racist abuse.⁴
• Abbott has since apologized for her words, claiming that, "The errors arose in an initial draft being sent." However, she has been stripped of her position as Labour whip following the comments and faced criticism from some in her own party.⁵
• An equality watchdog found in 2020 that Labour had serious failings in its handling of anti-Semitism complaints. Abbott, 69, has been a lawmaker since 1987 and was the first Black woman to be elected to parliament in the UK.⁶

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Independent, ³Sky News, ⁴Guardian, ⁵Evening Standard, and ⁶Reuters.

Narratives

• Right narrative, as provided by LBC. Abbott's comments were disgraceful and it's very hard to believe that her letter was mistakenly sent as a first draft. Abbot continues to dig herself into a hole and throw herself into discourse involving "which race has it worst." This was at best a poor attempt to end discrimination, but more than likely an unintended public portrayal of her dark inner thoughts on certain groups of people.
• Left narrative, as provided by Counterfire. While the views presented in this letter were misguided and wrong, the current pile-on against a long-standing advocate for equality is uncalled for. It's hypocritical for right-wing Labour and Conservatives to pounce on a mistake when they themselves have a history of targeting travelers and supporting the anti-Semitic nationalist right in Eastern Europe. This is a political witch hunt — Abbott's opponents are guilty of far worse than they've accused her of.

Predictions