Labour left abandons Diane Abbott in antisemitism row

Keir Starmer under pressure to ban Hackney MP standing for Labour at election

Diane Abbott has been condemned by her own wing of the Labour party as she is engulfed in an antisemitism row after claiming Jewish people are not subjected to racism.

The left-wing MP was suspended by the party and apologised almost immediately for a letter she wrote, published in The Observer.

It stated that Jewish, Irish and traveller communities have experienced “prejudice”, but added: “This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable.”