Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott has announced that she has been readmitted to the Labour Party following the conclusion of a disciplinary process conducted under the party's rules.
In a statement published on X, Abbott said the decision followed "a process conducted in line with party rules and approved by the independent review process."
She confirmed that she had received a formal warning over a previous social media post and apologised for wording she said had conflated the actions of the State of Israel with the Jewish community.
Abbott wrote:
"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 wording that conflates the actions of the state of Israel with the Jewish community."
She added:
"I am deeply sorry for any hurt caused by that conflation and apologise for any hurt caused by it."
Abbott also said she remained "a lifelong anti-racist" and was "deeply committed to opposing racism in all its forms."
The decision prompted criticism from the Jewish Leadership Council, which questioned whether Abbott's reinstatement was consistent with Labour's stated approach to tackling antisemitism.
In a statement posted on X, the organisation said Abbott had previously "doubled down on remarks she had previously apologised for" and argued that her comments had "downplayed the seriousness of racism against Jewish people."
The Jewish Leadership Council said the decision would "be seen as an exoneration for her actions" and acknowledged that the disciplinary process was independent following reforms introduced after the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report into antisemitism within the Labour Party.
However, it added that the Prime Minister remained responsible for deciding which MPs receive the Labour whip, stating:
"He must explain how returning that whip to Diane Abbott is consistent with his zero tolerance approach to antisemitism."
Labour has said its disciplinary procedures operate independently and in accordance with party rules. Any decision regarding the Parliamentary Labour Party whip is a separate matter from the party's internal disciplinary process.
The developments are likely to renew political debate over Labour's handling of antisemitism cases and the balance between independent disciplinary procedures and the leadership's wider political responsibilities.
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