The recently reported incendiary 2019 comments of conservative party mega donor Frank Hester about suspended Labour member of parliament Diane Abbott, the first Afrikan woman elected as an MP in 1987, has dominated the news cyscle for several days. He is alleged to have said:
“It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV and you’re just like, I hate, you just want to hate all black women because she’s there, and I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot.” (1)
Historically the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP has been subject to virulent abuse, typically racist and misogynistic, – at one time accounting for around half the abuse directed at female parliamentarians. (2) Indeed, antipathy towards Diane Abbott has almost become a national pastime – be it from fellow Labour MPs, the media or the public at large. (3) But the issue extends beyond Diane Abbott with Amnesty International revealing that “black women were disproportionately targeted, being 84% more likely than white women to be mentioned in abusive or problematic tweets.” (4) Moreover, fellow Afrikan MP Dawn Butler has also highlighted the toxic role of “white feminism” in targeting Afrikan women. (5) Of course this is a continuation of white society’s attacks on not just high profile but also everyday Afrikan women, not just Afrikan women but also Afrikan girls. (6)
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who tendency is to deny such things, took a day to admit that Hester’s comments were racist and that was only after Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch broke ranks by calling out Hester’s racism (although she later dismissed the whole matter as “trivia). (7) However, he added that Hester’s “remorse [for rudeness, not racism] should be accepted”, while rejecting calls to return the £10 million already donated and the £5 million pending. (8) Although Hester’s contributions may seem generous they are a drop in the ocean compared to the £137 million in hidden contracts his company has received from the Department of Health and Social Care. (9)
The Labour Party, that suspended Diane Abbott last April for attempting to emphasise the uniqueness of Anti-Black racism (Afriphobia) compared to other groups, are leading calls to the government to return the money. Yet they have been accused of using the row to fundraise for donations. (10)
So while the Conservative government have rightly been criticized for their response, the spotlight has also been shone on the Labour Party that many feel are continuing to weaponize a ”hierarchy of racism or of discrimination, with other forms of racism or of discrimination [than anti-Semitism] being ignored.” In terms of being ignored, insult was added to injury in the houses of parliament when during a debate on the issue her staggering forty-six attempts to contribute were ignored by the speaker. (11) Diane Abbott had the parliamentary whip removed designating her an independent rather than a Labour MP last April pending an investigation, even though all the factors took place in public (online) on the same day. Yet, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer essentially put his thumb on the scale by declaring the comments “antisemitic” even before any investigation had begun. (12)
Calls are now growing for the whip to be restored, not least in light of other cases of “racial and sexual harassment” where the offender was re-admitted. (13) Equality and Human Rights Campaigner Professor Gus John joined the call for the whip to be restored in Open Letter to Starmer:
“Abbott’s continued suspension is not only an indictment of the Labour Party. It is evidence of a hierarchy of oppression constructed by yourself and the Board of Deputies of British Jews that renders anti-blackness tolerable and of considerably less urgency than antisemitism. This, sir, is intrinsically dangerous, if only because it has the potential to fuel yet more antipathy towards the Jewish community in general, especially given the acts of genocide being committed by the state of Israel in Gaza. Your mindless endorsement of the debunked and discredited IHRA definition of antisemitism means that to call out the IDF’s and Netanyahu’s massacre of Palestinian women and children and their creating and sustaining conditions of famine is to be antisemitic, as another suspended black female MP has discovered.” (14)
Diane Abbott has expressed her wish to return to the Labour Fold but there are conflicting reports on whether this will happen. There are also reports that she was offered the opportunity to have the whip restored if she offered a “more fulsome” apology and took an antisemitism awareness course. (15) Not surprisingly, The Jewish Chronicle, the self-described communal newspaper, focused on this training aspect and expressed no interest in condemning Hester. (16) There are also rumours circulating that the whip will be restored in return for her standing down at the next election. (17)
Nevertheless, those outside the party are speculating whether the Labour Party is a safe place for Diane Abbott due to their weaponization of the Frank Hester issue as well as the historical abuse she has suffered from within the party, including the senior management team, as exposed in the Forde Report. (18)
For many the whole affair confirms that Afrikans do have a home in either of the main political parties which we will have to re-assess how (or indeed if) we engage with the political process and leverage our community influence.
(1) Rowena Mason, Matthew Weaver and Henry Dyer (11/03/24) Biggest Tory donor said looking at Diane Abbott makes you ‘want to hate all black women.’ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/11/biggest-tory-donor-looking-diane-abbott-hate-all-black-women
(2) Jessica Elgot (06/12/23) Diane Abbott more abused than any other female MP during election. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/05/diane-abbott-more-abused-than-any-other-mps-during-election
(3) Victoria Princewill (10/05/19) As we rally to support Jess Phillips, let’s not forget her ‘lies’ about Diane Abbott. https://gal-dem.com/as-we-rally-to-support-jess-phillips-lets-not-forget-her-alleged-lies-about-diane-abbott/. The author writes: “(fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips who, according to Diane, falsely claimed she had told Diane Abbott to “fuck off”, and then went to an international newspaper to brag about doing so.” She also highlights the bias shown by BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce; Aaron Bastani (24/01/19) BBC Question Time Bias Against Diane Abbott – An Examination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC71z1oHNrw
(4) Amnesty International (09/06/20) Press release: UK: online abuse against black women MPs ‘chilling.‘ https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-online-abuse-against-black-women-mps-chilling; Banseka Kayembe (10/11/20) What It’s Like To Be A Black Woman In British Politics. https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/navigating-uk-politics-as-a-black-female-politician?listIds=6319bca9ea5c6d392214e708&referrerType=article&referrerSource=related
(5) Kernow Damo (16/08/23) White feminism attack on Dawn Butler proves Forde Report right.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kernowdamo/white-feminism-attack-dawn-butler-proves-forde-report-right; Skwawkbox (SW)(16/08/23) Butler owns silenced Ellman for defending ‘white feminist’ Phillips. https://skwawkbox.org/2023/08/15/butler-owns-silenced-ellman-for-defending-white-feminist-phillips/
(6) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (13/03/23) Are Black women safe in the UK? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/are-black-women-safe-in-the-uk-130323/
(7) Nicholas Cecil, Michael Howie, Jitendra Joshi, Miriam Burrell (13/03/24) Rishi Sunak finally admits Tory donor’s rant against Diane Abbott is ‘racist’ as it’s reported to police. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/frank-hester-tory-donor-diane-abbott-comments-black-women-labour-b1144631.html; Asher McShane (24/02/24) PM denies Tories have ‘Islamophobic tendencies’ as minister says Lee Anderson’s comments were ‘profoundly wrong’. https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/rishi-sunak-mark-harper-islamophobia-politics-sadiq-khan/; Christian Oliver (18/03/24) ‘This is trivia’: Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor ‘racism’ row. https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-tory-donor-racism-row-trivia/
(8) Brian Wheeler (15/03/24) Unique Britain. https://www.dannydorling.org/wp-content/files/dannydorling_publication_id2257.pdf. Prof. Dorling states: “Most children who live above the fourth floor of tower blocks in England are Black or Asian. High-rise living with children in Britain is almost always not luxury living. Most of these children are poor and Britain tolerates a much high proportion of its children living in poverty than does anywhere else in Western Europe.”
(9) Good Law Project (16/03/24) Frank Hester’s firm sponsors organisation chaired by Tory Peer who leapt to his defence. https://goodlawproject.org/frank-hester-tory-peer/
(10) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (05/06/23) Are we politically homeless? Part 2. https://alkebulan.org/2023/06/05/aswag-436-politically-homeless-pt2/; Nadine White and Zoe Grunewald (15/03/24) Diane Abbott accuses Labour of hypocrisy after it uses race row to fundraise for donations. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/diane-abbot-frank-hester-racism-labour-b2512532.html
(11) Asa Winstanley (27/07/22) Labour right guilty of “weaponizing” anti-Semitism, inquiry finds. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/labour-right-guilty-weaponizing-anti-semitism-inquiry-finds; Sam Francis (14/03/24) Diane Abbott: MP denied chance to speak during Commons race debate. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68556911
(12) David Rose (26/04/23) Keir Starmer must expel Diane Abbott, says writer at centre of letter row. https://www.thejc.com/news/news/keir-starmer-must-expel-diane-abbott-says-writer-at-centre-of-letter-row-70UJzKdxmJevsHa3VKzihB
(13) Ben Quinn (24/05/23) Labour to restore whip to Neil Coyle after suspension over drunken abuse. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/24/labour-to-restore-whip-to-neil-coyle-after-suspension-over-drunken-abuse
(14) Professor Augustine John (14/03/24) Open Letter to Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP. https://sway.cloud.microsoft/lvE2DfRMTgkiHy9R?ref=email
(15) Amy Gibbons (13/03/24) ‘Give me back the whip’: Diane Abbott confronts Keir Starmer in Commons. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/03/13/keir-starmer-pressure-reinstate-diane-abbott-labour-mp/; Pippa Crerar (14/03/24) Diane Abbott’s chances of getting whip back appear remote despite Hester row. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/14/diane-abbott-whip-return-chances-appear-remote-hester-row; Sky News (17/03/24) Labour: ‘There is a process in place’ for restoring the whip to Diane Abbott MP. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG-z9aoCCZs; Archie Mitchell (16/07/24) Diane Abbott refused to go on antisemitism course to rejoin Labour. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/diane-abbott-labour-whip-antisemitism-starmer-b2513315.html
(16) Asa Winstanley (2023) Weaponizing Anti-Semitism. OR Books. p. 36 ; Felix Pope (17/03/24) Diane Abbott denies that she rejected antisemitism training. https://www.thejc.com/news/politics/diane-abbott-denies-that-she-rejected-antisemitism-training-nfaxla5f
(17) Crerar. Op. cit.
(18) Martin Forde KC (2022) The Forde Report. p. 26, 82-3. https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-Forde-Report.pdf
we ask the question
Diane Abbott:Where do we go from here?
1) Why is so hard for the UK establishment to call out racism?
2) What do Hester’s comments say about the representation of Afrikan women in the UK?
3) Is the Labour Party a safe place for Diane Abbott/Afrikan women?
4) Is it time to reject the main political parties and try something different?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Sis. Patricia “Blaze” Wharton: is an organiser and activist that has spent over 30 years of her professional career supporting children and families including with issues like Social and school Exclusions, self-harming, depression and other challenges. She is also a freelance Parenting Practitioner offering Parenting Seminars workshops and courses, including running programmes in prison. Sis. Patricia organises community events and initiatiatives on a range of issues including, arts, culture and health and is the presenter for ‘The Let’s Talk Show’ on Chalkhill Community Radio Station.