Susanna Reid highlights ‘visceral racism’ Diane Abbott faces as MP is suspended by Labour after claim about Jewish people

Susanna Reid has pointed out the ‘visceral racism’ that Diane Abbott has faced throughout her political career after the MP’s suspension from the Labour Party.

The politician sparked backlash regarding a letter that she wrote about racism for The Observer newspaper, in which she claimed that communities including Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience ‘prejudice’ rather than suffering the same racism as Black people.

The 69-year-old wrote: ‘It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus.

‘In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships.’

Ms Abbott has apologised for writing the letter, saying in a statement published on social media: ‘I wish to wholly and unreservedly withdraw my written remarks and disassociate myself from them. The errors arose in an initial draft being sent. But there is no excuse and I wish to apologise for any anguish caused.

‘Racism takes many forms and it is completely undeniable that Jewish people have suffered its monstrous effects, as have Irish people, Travellers and many others.’

‘She’s absolutely wrong about this,’ the GMB host said over the politician’s withdrawn remarks (Picture: ITV/AFP)

A Labour spokesperson said: ‘The Labour Party completely condemns these comments, which are deeply offensive and wrong.

‘The chief whip has suspended the Labour whip from Diane Abbott pending an investigation.’

On Monday’s Good Morning Britain, Susanna stressed that Ms Abbott was ‘absolutely wrong’ to make her initial remarks, while highlighting the extreme racial abuse that she has been subjected to.

Labour Against Antisemitism said the MP’s comments were ‘simply unacceptable’ (Picture: Dominc Lipinski/PA Wire)

‘She is also the most racially abused MP in the Houses of Parliament,’ the broadcaster said.

‘She’s wrong about this, obviously. She’s absolutely wrong about this. But is she seeing it through the lens of her own experience?

‘She experiences the most visceral racism. She’s just not seeing it through the lens of someone who’s Jewish who also experiences visceral racism, or a Traveller.’

Susanna’s co-host Ed Balls questioned how Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will move forward from here, considering the accusations of antisemitism within the party in the past.

In October 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission conducted an investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party, leading to the suspension of former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

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The report found that the party had committed ‘unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination’ and ‘uncovered serious failings’ in the way complaints were handled until at least 2018, when Mr Corbyn was in charge.

In 1987, Ms Abbott made history as the first Black woman to be elected to the British Parliament.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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‘She’s absolutely wrong about this,’ the GMB host said over the politician’s withdrawn remarks.