THE WORDS spoken by Frank Hester are indicative of how normalised the violence aimed at Black women in society really is.

The fact he felt comfortable to allegedly say, that his hatred of Abbott fuels his hatred of all Black women and that she should be shot reflects how deeply ingrained racism has become in certain parts of society.

Abbott has said that she now feels vulnerable in a constituency she has served so diligently for decades.

Hester, a thoroughly unremarkable and mediocre man, who isn’t fit to tie Abbott’s shoes, claimed his words were a joke. The only people who view anti-Black violence as a joking matter however are white supremacists and their apologists.

Forgiveness

The absurd idea that Black people, should be good sports and take abuse on the chin is something we’ve all encountered in our lives. No other community would be encouraged to accept the racism suffered by Abbott, or to exercise ‘Christian forgiveness’ as Michael Gove suggested.

Hester should be punished. A man with a different skin colour of from a different social class might already be facing criminal charges for suggesting a member of parliament should be shot.

But we shouldn’t individualise the matter. Nor should we make it party political.

The conversation between Abbott and Starmer sums up Labour’s attitude towards the Black community generally.  We are an afterthought, and don’t matter beyond the votes we offer.

Richard Sudan

The response to this scandal reminds us that anti-Black racism is not a left or right issue. It blights the entire political spectrum and both of the main political parties are guilty. While it’s true that the government and some black Tories eventually condemned the vile hatred thrown at Abbott, the condemnation was forced.  They deserve no kudos for bowing to public pressure.

But if the Conservative response to the Diane Abbott scandal was predictably lacklustre and insincere, Labour’s response has been breathtakingly hypocritical, opportunistic and sadistic.

Ignored

During last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, the speaker ignored Diane Abbott almost 50 times when she stood to ask a question as the rest of the house talked about her.

Following the session, which showed what a farce so-called democracy has become, Labour leader Keir Starmer is said to have asked Abbott if she needed any support. The exchange was stunning.

Abbott reportedly asked for the whip to be returned, a point which was duly sidestepped by the man whose party leadership has overseen the Hackney and Stoke Newington MP’s current political isolation.

She remains suspended from the party in a move that many in our community believe is a witchhunt designed to end her parliamentary career.

The conversation between Abbott and Starmer sums up Labour’s attitude towards the Black community generally.  We are an afterthought, and don’t matter beyond the votes we offer.

Labour want to be appear to be doing something, while offering nothing.

Our community knows full well, that the findings of the Forde report which revealed a hierarchy of racism in the party in which black people bear the brunt have been ignored.

Theatrics

In fact Starmer’s grotesque political theatrics, asking Abbott if she needed support underscore the findings of the report.

But it doesn’t end there.  Off the back of the Diane Abbott debacle, and Frank Hester, Labour has shamelessly used events to fundraise and solicit more money from members.

The slap in the face is real and so is Labour’s belief that we will not respond. Keir Starmer’s hypocrisy and opportunism is the most egregious example of political two-facedness in living memory – and it must not go unanswered.

A broad coalition of leading anti-racism organisations have provided a broad backbone of support for Diane Abbott and have written to the prime minister demanding action.

Off the back of the Frank Hester debacle Labour has shamelessly used events to fundraise and solicit more money from members. The slap in the face is real and so is Labour’s belief that we will not respond

Richard Sudan

Thousands across the country, in the capital and in Diane’s constituency are now organising and rallying to the defense of Abbott.

Keir Starmer may well have already alienated a generation of Black voters for good.  But they are not going to go quietly.

Starmer will most likely be prime minister within the coming months. If Black people are an afterthought now and a political football at best, what more can we expect from Labour in government?

Keir Starmer might not care about Black voters, but he’ll need to listen to Black voters if he wants a second term in office.  He should think about this.

Priceless

Frank Hester might have given ten million pounds to the Tories. But the contributions of Black people to Labour are priceless.  Starmer would be wise to remember this.

The only thing Starmer can do now, to quell any measure of the rage our communty feel is to restore the whip to Abbott immediately and with no caveats.

Right now under Starmer’s leadership the party’s treatment of Abbott, and the treatment of the wider Black community is creating an irreparable rift which will at some point cause a high political price for Labour.

Starmer should consider that even if he doesn’t think Diane Abbott worthy of real consideration in the face of unspeakable racism she is contending with.