Five months after losing the whip for making comments about then-prime minister Kwasi Kwarteng, Labour member Rupa Huq was reinstated to her position. The Member of Parliament for Ealing Central and Acton had described Mr. Kwarteng as “superficially black.”
In September, at a Labour Party fringe event, Ms. Huq stated, “He’s superficially a black man, but he has more in common… he attended Eton, a very expensive prep school, and top schools across the country.”
The recording of these remarks was published by the Guido Fawkes website, prompting a backlash from Conservative Party chairman Jake Berry, who called the remarks “racist” and “repulsive,” as well as Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner and foreign affairs spokesman David Lammy.
Ms. Huq then tweeted an apology, stating that she had personally apologised to Mr. Kwarteng for her “ill-advised” remarks. She also completed anti-racism training and accepted the party’s sanction.
On her return to the Labour benches on Friday, she stated, “During my suspension, I have reflected on the offence caused by my remarks at last year’s Labour Party Conference, and I would like to offer my sincere apologies once again to everyone who was offended.”
Rupa Huq has been reinstated as a Labour member of parliament five months after losing the whip for comments made about then-prime minister Kwasi Kwarteng. In September, at a Labour Party fringe event, Ms. Huq described Mr. Kwarteng as “superficially black.”
The recording of these remarks was published by the Guido Fawkes website, which prompted criticism from Conservative Party chairman Jake Berry, who described them as “racist” and “repulsive,” as well as comments from Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner and foreign affairs spokesman David Lammy.
Ms. Huq issued an apology, accepted the party’s punishment, and completed anti-racism training. Friday, upon her return to the Labour benches, she stated, “I wish to extend my sincere apologies to everyone affected.”
The incident emphasises the significance of using sensitive language when discussing racial issues and stresses that racism should never be tolerated. Ms. Huq’s apology was accepted, and she has resumed her duties as the representative for Ealing Central and Acton.
