Diane Abbott and Joani Reid readmitted to Labour after suspension process

Diane Abbott has been welcomed back into the Labour PartyDiane Abbott has been readmitted into the Labour Party after a year-long suspension.The former shadow home secretary and mother of the House of Commons was suspended for the second time from the party last summer.The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington lost the whip after saying she did not regret the remarks about racism which triggered the initial loss of the whip in 2023.Sher argued in a letter to The Observer in April 2023 that Jewish, Irish and Traveller commnuities experience prejudice rather than racism.She apologised and withdrew the remarks, and was reinstated into the party just before the 2024 general election after a long election.She also finished an antisemitism awareness course and received a formal warning.But Abbott was suspended once again after telling the BBC: “I just think that it’s silly to try to claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism. I don’t know why people would say that.” Abbott has apologised after an investigation into her comments concluded, and she received a formal warning from the party.She said in a statement: “I have been issued with a formal warning for a tweet I previously posted. By inadvertently referring to the Israeli Defence Force as the ‘Jewish Defence Force’, I used working that conflates the actions of the state of Israel with the Jewish community.“I am deeply sorry for any hurt caused by that conflating and apologise for any hurt caused by it.”The MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, Joani Reid, was also readmitted into the party last night.She chose to step down from Labour in March after her husband David Taylor was arrested by counter-terrorism police.She said she was not under investigation and had not committed any wrongdoing but was giving up the whip to avoid being a distraction while the party carried out its own enquiries.Reid said in a statement on. that she was now “excited to play a full part” in the new government, adding: “I have never been part of a police investigation as a suspect or as a witness and I am pleased that this has now been recognised.”She added: “I am also deeply grateful to everyone who has stood by me when it was politically easier to distance themselves. You know who you are – thank you.”A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour party expects the highest standards from our elected representatives and party members. The party assesses any alleged breaches of such standards independently of the leadership and political interference.“Following a process conducted under Labour party rules and approved by the independent review board, Diane Abbott and Joani Reid have been readmitted to the Labour party and have had the Labour whip restored in the House of Commons.“Diane Abbott has also apologised following the independent process coming to an end. All Labour elected representatives must be mindful at all times of their platform and the responsibilities that come with that privilege.”It comes after new prime minister Andy Burnham vowed to end factionalism within the party and create an atmosphere of unity.However, the leadership reportedly had no role in welcoming the two MPs back into the fold.Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...Exclusive: Zack Polanski Says He Would Not Stand Against 'Wonderful' Diane AbbottDiane Abbott Suspended By Labour For A Second Time Over Anti-Semitism CommentsDiane Abbott Slams Keir Starmer's Immigration Speech For Being 'Fundamentally Racist'

Dianne Abbott has been sitting as an independent MP since her suspension last year (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images) Diane Abbott has been readmitted into the Labour Party over a year after she was suspended. Parliament’s longest-serving female MP was kicked out of the party after an antisemitism row. Labour MP Joani Reid has also been readmitted into the party. She has been sitting as an independent MP since March after she said she was ‘voluntarily suspending herself’ after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. Joana Reid has rejoined the Labour ranks (Picture: UK Parliament/PA Wire) A Labour spokesperson said in a statement that both women could sit again as Labour MPs after a ‘process conducted under Labour Party rules and ‘approved by the independent review board’. The statement said Diane Abbott had also apologised following the end of the process. Abbott was suspended from the Labour backbenches in July 2025 after she defended previous comments about racism. In a letter to The Observer in 2023, Abbot argued that people of colour experienced racism “all their lives” and said that was different to the ‘prejudice’ experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP apologised for those comments at the time and was suspended for a year. But in an interview with BBC Radio 4 last year, Abbott said she did not reget the row and defended her remarks. Abbot was then suspended by Labour while they investigated. Diane Abbott was a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn (Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images) In a post on X, Abbott wrote: ‘Today, following a process conducted in line with party rules and approved by the independent review process I have been readmitted to the Labour party.” She said she had been ‘issued with a formal warning for a tweet I previously posted’, in which she referred to the Israel Defense Forces as the ‘Jewish Defence Force’. ‘I used wording that conflates the actions of the state of Israel with the Jewish community. I am deeply sorry for any hurt caused by that conflation and apologise for any hurt caused by it.’ She added: ‘I have been and remain a lifelong anti-racist and remain deeply committed to opposing racism in all of its forms.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source