The UK Labour Party has formally reinstated Diane Abbott, the longest-serving female MP in Parliament, ending a suspension imposed under the party's previous leadership over controversial remarks related to racism.
According to party confirmation on Thursday, Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has had her status and rights as a Labour MP restored following an internal review process approved by the Independent Panel. She was suspended in July 2025 after telling the BBC in an interview that she did not regret earlier comments suggesting that Jewish, Irish, and Traveller people do not experience racism in the same way as those discriminated against because of skin color.
In a social media statement, Abbott said she had received a formal warning regarding a separate post in which she referred to the "Israel Defense Forces" as the "Jewish Defense Forces." She acknowledged that this phrasing was wrong in conflating the actions of the Israeli state with the Jewish community, and expressed "profound regret for any hurt caused."
The same day, MP Joani Reid, representing East Kilbride and Strathaven, was also reinstated. She had voluntarily stepped back from the party after her husband was arrested on suspicion of assisting Chinese intelligence services.
A Labour Party spokesperson emphasized that the reinstatement decisions were made independently, without interference from leadership or political influence.
However, the move comes shortly after a change in party leadership, with Andy Burnham succeeding Keir Starmer as party leader and Prime Minister earlier this month. Burnham is said to be seeking to distance himself from his predecessor.
Abbott's case has been divisive within the party. Known as "Auntie Di" among supporters, she has been a prominent left-wing voice. More than 38,000 people signed a petition calling for her reinstatement. She was the first Black woman elected to Parliament in 1987 and has been an active anti-racism campaigner in the UK.
Conversely, several Jewish organizations, including the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, have urged caution, arguing that reinstatement should require clear evidence of sincere remorse.
Abbott was first suspended in 2023 over remarks on racism, reinstated in 2024, and suspended again in 2025 after the BBC interview. Critics of Starmer have accused his leadership of pushing Abbott and other left-wing MPs out of the party.
Two Labour MPs remain suspended. Karl Turner has been suspended since March over comments deemed disrespectful to colleagues, although he contends the move was actually due to his criticism of government policy on jury trials. Dan Norris, MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, was suspended after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual offense.
