Readmission announced
Diane Abbott and Joani Reid have been readmitted to the Labour Party and had the parliamentary whip restored, according to a Labour spokesperson. The spokesperson said the decisions followed a process conducted under party rules and approved by the independent review board, without political interference. Abbott has also apologised after the process concluded.[S1][S2][S3]
Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said she was excited to play a full part in supporting Prime Minister Andy Burnham. She noted she had never been part of a police investigation as a suspect or witness. Abbott, the longest-serving female MP, said she had been issued a formal warning for a tweet in which she referred to the Israel Defense Forces as the 'Jewish Defence Force'.[S1][S3][S5]
Background of suspensions
Abbott was suspended in July 2025 after defending previous comments about racism in a BBC interview. In 2023, she had written a letter to The Observer stating that Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice but not racism. She apologised at the time and was readmitted before the 2024 general election. However, her subsequent defence led to a second suspension.[S1][S2][S4]
Reid voluntarily suspended herself in March 2025 after her husband, David Taylor, was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. She was not accused of wrongdoing. The three men arrested were released on police bail, later extended. Reid's suspension was lifted on the same evening as Abbott's, with both readmitted independently of leadership changes.[S3][S5][S6]
Reactions and next steps
More than 38,000 people signed a petition backing Abbott's return, and some Labour MPs had called for her readmission. Jewish groups expressed concern, with the Board of Deputies calling it an early test of resolve for the Burnham administration. The Jewish Leadership Council said the prime minister must explain how the move is consistent with a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism.[S1][S2][S5]
