BREAKING: Diane Abbott suspended by Labour after comments about racism

Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour Party after she doubled down on comments about racism she had previously apologised for.

The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington has lost the whip a day after Keir Starmer suspended four Labour MPs for rebelling against the government.

It comes after Ms Abbott said she had "no regrets" over comments she made that led to a previous suspension.

She previously had the whip withdrawn after writing a letter to the Observer newspaper comparing racism experienced by people of colour with that seen by other groups. It led to accusations of antisemitism, which the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP has long denied.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “ Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.”

It is understood Ms Abbott’s administrative suspension by the Labour Party, pending investigation, has the automatic effect of suspending the Labour whip in the House of Commons.

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