MP Rupa Huq has been suspended from the Labour Party after she was heard describing the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, as "superficially" black.
Criticism came flooding in from senior Labour politicians such as Angela Rayner and David Lammy. The comments were revealed via audio which was published online.
In the audio, Ms Huq can be heard discussing Mr Kwarteng's educational background at an elite school, where she mentions that "you wouldn't know he is black" when listening to him on the radio. The comments were believed to have been made at a fringe event at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Monday.
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Ms Huq has now apologised for the comments she made following her suspension. She said: I have today contacted Kwasi Kwarteng to offer my sincere and heartfelt apologies for the comments I made at yesterday’s Labour conference fringe meeting. My comments were ill-judged and I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone affected.”
It is believed that Ms Huq has been administratively suspended from the party, and has lost the party whip. A party spokesman said: “We obviously condemn the remarks she made, they are totally inappropriate and we would call on her to apologise and withdraw them.”
It comes shortly after Sir Keir delivered his keynote speech to delegates at the conference. During the speech, he argued that now is a "Labour moment" for the party to provide leadership to the nation.
During the audio, Ms Huq can be heard saying: "Superficially he is a black man. He went to Eton, I think, he went to a very expensive prep school, all the way through, the top schools in the country. If you hear him on the Today programme, you wouldn’t know he is black.”
Tory party chairman wrote a letter to Sir Keir regarding the audio, which was published by the Guido Fawkes website, noting that he has "serious concerns". He wrote: “I trust you will join me in unequivocally condemning these comments as nothing less than racist and that the Labour whip be withdrawn from Rupa Huq as a consequence."
Meanwhile, Ms Rayner told BBC Politics Live: “She should apologise for those comments. For me those comments are completely unacceptable.
“I think Rupa needs to reflect on what she has said and she needs to take immediate action.” Ms Rayned added that if Ms Huq fails to apologise: "Well that’s a whipping matter, what they do regarding the whip. But I’m pretty certain that the whip will see that and say that’s not acceptable.
“I’m sure that Rupa will recognise that’s not acceptable, I’ve known Rupa a very long time and I don’t think those comments are appropriate.”
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy added: “I wouldn’t have made them myself and clearly I hope Rupa apologises and retracts them, frankly.”
Asked if the Labour MP should have the whip withdrawn, he said: “I have only just heard this story to be honest, I don’t know the full circumstances so I don’t want to shoot from the hip.
“I hope she is able to stand those comments down.”
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