Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour Party "pending an investigation", GB News understands.
A spokesman said: "Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.”
The Hackney South and Stoke Newington MP had the whip removed in April 2023 after writing a letter to The Observer which argued that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people “undoubtedly experience prejudice” that is “similar to racism”.
Despite apologising for “any anguish caused” and admitting that the letter had been a draft published in error, Abbott said earlier today that she did not regret the controversial claims.
PA
|Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour Party
She told the BBC: “Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don’t know [their background]."
Responding to Abbott's latest remarks, a Labour Party spokesman said: “There is no place for antisemitism in the Labour Party.
"We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with Labour Party’s rules and procedures."
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PA | Diane Abbott was previously suspended by the Labour Party in 2023 for comments she made about Jewish people and Travellers
Senior Labour sources had earlier suggested Abbott would lose the whip after “doubling-down on something she previously had the whip withdrawn for”.
"She shouldn’t be immune because she’s the Mother of the House," the Labour insider told The Times.
Abbott, who became Britain's first black female MP when she was elected in 1987, had the whip restored following her suspension in 2023 after her supporters pushed for Sir Keir Starmer to reinstate her as a Labour candidate ahead of last year's General Election.
The veteran MP's latest suspension form the Labour Party comes just one day after the Prime Minister purged four left-wing rebels.
Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff were the first three Labour MPs suspended following their role in the welfare revolt earlier this month.
York Outer MP Rachael Maskell, who was seen by No10 as the ringleader spearheading the revolt, was named as the fourth suspended Labour MP just a few hours later.