Category Archives: diane abbott

Diane Abbott Dubbed ‘Putin’s Useful Idiot’ For Claiming Russian Threat Is ‘Nato Fiction’

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Diane Abbott has been dubbed “Putin’s useful idiot” after she downplayed the threat posed to the West by Russia.

The veteran Labour MP said it was “a Nato fiction” being used to justify a boost in defence spending, which she opposes.

Her comments come just a month after it emerged she had previously described the war in Ukraine as “a Nato campaign against Russia”.

Andy Burnham has insisted that the UK will hit Nato’s target of spending 3.5% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by 2035.

In a post on X, Abbott said: “The imminent threat from Russia is a Nato fiction to justify their complete capitulation to Trump’s demands for more military spending. The increase should not go ahead.”

Her comments sparked an angry backlash from politicians and pro-Ukraine campaigners.

A spokesman for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Those views are reprehensible. Ukraine is an innocent party in this. Everyone should be foursquare behind Ukraine and against Russian aggression.”

Posting on X, Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said Abbott was “playing the role of Putin’s useful idiot”.

“To rail against increased defence spending by claiming the threat Russia pose is ‘a Nato fiction’ shows she is dangerously out of touch,” he said.

“Over four years into the war in Ukraine, and with escalating sub-threshold activity, we are agreed that increasing defence spending is a matter of national security. It beggars belief that a senior Labour politician could be so naïve.”

The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign said: “There are legitimate debates to be had about defence spending.

“Denying the Russian regime is a threat to democracy all over the world is not legitimate, particularly when the speaker describes Russia’s war on Ukraine as ‘the Nato campaign against Russia’.”

Abbott, the longest serving female MP in the Commons, lost the Labour whip last year after she argued in a letter to The Observer in 2023 that Jewish, Irish and Traveller communities experience prejudice rather than racism.

She got the whip back after Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister in July.

A No.10 spokesman said: “As the PM said yesterday, the UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia’s egregious and reckless attack in Leipzig.

“Our commitment to supporting Ukraine from Russia’s illegal invasion is ironclad.”

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.

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Diane Abbott Under Fire For Describing Ukraine War As A ‘Nato Campaign Against Russia’

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Diane Abbott has been criticised after describing the Ukraine war as a “Nato campaign against Russia”.

The left-wing MP was readmitted into the Labour Party on Friday following a year-long suspension.

She lost the whip last year after saying she did not regret past remarks about racism – comments which triggered her first suspension from the party back in 2023.

She argued in a letter to The Observer in April 2023 that Jewish, Irish and Traveller communities experience prejudice rather than racism.

She also made a separate post on social media called the Israel Defence Forces the “Jewish Defence Force”.

In a statement on Friday, Abbott said she had returned to the party after a formal warning over that post, adding: “I am deeply sorry for any hurt caused by that conflation and apologise for any hurt caused by it.”

But her return to Labour sparked backlash on social media after it emerged she described Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine as a “Nato campaign against Russia” back in June.

Speaking at an anti-war conference, Abbott said: “We meet at a crucial time for all those who are opposed to war and strive for peace.

“Because we are not trying to stop one war, we are having to fight to stop very many wars.”

She continued: “There is a military build-up against China, there is the war and blockade in Iran and, finally, there is one of the biggest wars in Europe since the Second World War – the Nato campaign against Russia.”

The revived video sparked backlash on social media from in the Conservative Party and Labour.

Abbott also wrote in the Morning Star last weekend: “The reason there is such a hue and cry about military spending now is not because Russian forces are in Ukraine; that happened well over four years ago.

“No, the reason for the outlandish claims about an imminent Russian invasion is simply because Trump demanded more military spending from Nato members…

“None of this is making us any safer. On the contrary. Russia is a major military power, but Nato is engaged in a war which is now striking deep into Russian territory, provoking widespread calls for retaliation against Nato countries.”

Labour declined to comment.

Abbott’s return to the party comes after new prime minister and Labour leader Andy Burnham pledged to end factionalism within the party.

Labour insists her reinstatement was unrelated to the party’s new leadership.

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.

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Diane Abbott Suspended By Labour For A Second Time Over Anti-Semitism Comments

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Diane Abbott has been suspended by Labour for a second time amid fresh allegations of anti-semitism.

The veteran MP appeared to double down on previous comments she made about Jewish, Irish and Traveller people not experiencing the same type of racism as black people, which saw her lose the party whip two years ago.

In an interview with the Radio 4′s Reflections programme, Abbott said she did not look back on that incident with regret.

She said: “Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don’t know.

“I just think that it’s silly to try and 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.”

In a statement, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.”

It means Abbott will not have the Labour whip and will have to sit as an independent MP.

The initial row erupted over a letter Abbott sent to The Observer in 2023, in which she said: “They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable.

“It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice.

“But they are not all their lives subject to racism. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus.

“In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships.”

She later claimed the letter had been sent to the newspaper in error and apologised “unreservedly” for any “anguish” they had caused.

The former shadow home secretary was eventually given back the Labour whip before last year’s general election – but has been a regular critic of Keir Starmer’s leadership.

Abbott, who is the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, was criticised by the Jewish Labour Movement.

In a post on X, they said: “Anti-semitism is anti-Jewish racism. It targets Jews regardless of how they look, and many of our community are visibly Jewish and suffer racism for it.

“We are disappointed that Diane Abbott MP has doubled down on comments she previously appeared to apologise for, and are pleased to hear that Labour are looking into them.”

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We are disappointed that Diane Abbott MP has doubled down on comments she previously appeared to apologise for, and are pleased to hear that Labour are looking into them.

2/2

— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) July 17, 2025

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We are disappointed that Diane Abbott MP has doubled down on comments she previously appeared to apologise for, and are pleased to hear that Labour are looking into them.

2/2

— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) July 17, 2025

The row comes just a day after four Labour MPs lost the whip for persistent breaches of party discipline.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Rachael Maskell were all suspended by government chief whip Alan Campbell.

All four voted against the government’s flagship welfare bill last week, but it is understood they have been disciplined for “actively organising against the government” over several months.

Seven Labour MPs also lost the whip last July after voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap, although four of them later had it restored.

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