Labour MP Diane Abbott has blasted Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggesting “allies” of the Prime Minister are treated “differently” from his enemies when accused of anti-Semitism.
Ms Abbott has made a number of claims blasting Mr Starmer in her new book saying that “a purely factional approach is adopted on the charge of anti-Semitism by this leadership”.
After writing in a letter to the Observer that Jewish people experienced prejudice but not racism – and that it was not the same as racism experienced by Black people – she had the whip suspended for more than a year by the now PM.
The comments in her book A Woman Like Me could reopen the debate about whether Ms Abbott should have the whip withdrawn as they seem to play down the problem of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.
She writes: “We have seen repeatedly that allies of the current leadership are treated very differently when it comes to allegations of anti-Semitism, as compared to the Left in the party and the critics of the current leadership.
“It is widely discussed in Labour circles and beyond that a purely factional approach is adopted on the charge of anti-Semitism by this leadership, and one of the cases most invoked to prove its factionalism is the way I have been treated, many months after my original letter to The Observer.”
She went on with more thoughts on anti-Semitism, claiming it’s be used to “silence critics” of Israel.
Ms Abbott added: “The attempt to silence critics of Israel with the charge of anti-Semitism has lost its force.
“Opposing genocide is not, and can never be, anti-Semitic.
“If anything, the assault on Gaza has clarified the issues related to charges of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.”
Sir Keir restored the whip and allowed her to stand as a candidate for his party in the last general election.
Abbott was re-elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington with a majority of 15,090.
A Conservative Party spokesman said as reported by the Telegraph: “Keir Starmer clearly wanted to ditch Diane Abbott as a Labour MP at the General Election but caved in to press pressure when it became a media circus.”
The statement added: “Now she is alleging that Starmer’s Labour is doing the exact same thing as Corbyn’s and treating anti-Semitism complaints differently depending on which faction of the Labour party the accused belongs to.”
Express.co.uk has contacted No10 for comment.
