Diane Abbott’s latest tone deaf declaration that she doesn’t regret her racist remarks which two years ago saw her suspended from the Labour party isn’t just offensive – it’s a perfect example of everything wrong with modern politics. To no-one’s surprise, she was suspended again last night.
In April 2023 Abbott dismissed the racism faced by Jewish, Irish and Traveller communities, reducing it to mere “prejudice.”
“I just think that it’s silly to try and claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism. I don’t know why people would say that,” she said.
For millions that was a slap in the face – as well as a demonstration of how magnificently stupid Abbott is.
Earlier this week Abbott said she had no regrets about it. Whatever apology she gave at the time was just words. She didn’t mean it.
Identity politics at its worst
This is identity politics at its worst: ranking people’s pain, dividing communities and rewriting history to suit a narrative.
Abbott’s comments weren’t a slip. They were a clear sign of how deeply entrenched this toxic mindset has become in parts of the political class. And they were a cast-iron confirmation of her stunning ignorance, prompting wider questions about whether there should be a minimum intelligence standard for MPs to meet before they can take office.
The truth is simple. Racism is racism. You don’t get to decide which victims count more than others.
Britain has spent decades trying to build a society based on fairness and mutual respect. That work is undermined when MPs like Abbott push divisive rhetoric to score points or protect their own ideology.
Abbott is a disgrace. Labour must act to rid its ranks of this kind of poison. The party should turn this second yellow card into a permanent red.
