Diane Abbott has been suspended as a Labour MP following a letter she wrote about racism, the party has said.
She said in the letter for the Observer that “many types of white people with points of difference” can experience prejudice
The former Shadow Home Secretary added that they are not subject to racism “all their lives”.
Abbott said: “Tomiwa Owolade claims that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all suffer from ‘racism’.
“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.”
A Labour spokesperson released a statement from the party saying:” The Labour party completely condemns these comments which are deeply offensive and wrong.
“The chief whip has suspended the Labour whip from Diane Abbott pending an investigation.”