A LABOUR shadow minister was not able to say if an investigation into veteran MP Diane Abbott was still going on almost a year after she was suspended from the party.

Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth was grilled on the BBC by Laura Kuenssberg about where the probe into Abbott was at and whether he felt she should be allowed back into the party.

Abbott – Britain’s first female black MP – was suspended from Labour 11 months ago for saying Irish, Jewish and Traveller people do not face racism “all their lives”. She withdrew her remarks the same day and apologised “for any anguish caused”.

Ashworth repeatedly refused to say whether he would like to see Abbott back in the party, adding he didn’t want to put “political pressure” onto the independent process.

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Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and Labour MPs Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper have all said in recent days said they would like Abbott back in the party.

Asked if he wanted the same, Ashworth said: “I’m afraid I’m probably going to frustrate you here in this interview. There is an independent process that looks into these matters, I can’t second guess that process.

“I have in the past served on Labour’s National Executive Committee so I understand these processes have to be free from political interference."

As Kuenssberg continued to push him for an answer, he went on: “Diane is a good colleague. I am in awe of everything she has achieved but I am not going to pressure the independent processes.

“I am not casually indifferent to what has gone on. The point I’m making is if you have an independent process, that is important not just for this particular case, but for every other case this independent process looks at.

"You’re asking me questions which I quite properly do not know the answer to.  "

It was highlighted during the interview that Labour MP Rupa Huq, who was suspended from the party in September 2022 for calling former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng “superficially black”, was allowed to return within five months.

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Ashworth added he hoped the investigation would conclude into Abbott before the General Election, but refused to give assurances.

It comes after Abbott was not given a chance to speak during Prime Minister’s Questions despite standing up more than 40 times last Wednesday.

The decision by the Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has been widely condemned after it emerged prominent Tory donor Frank Hester – who has donated at least £10 million to the Tory party – had allegedly said Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and “should be shot”.

First Minister Humza Yousaf told Owen Jones in an interview for The National it showed Westminster's "institutional racism". 

Abbott said she was "honoured and touched" by a standing ovation for her at  by SNP members on Saturday in Perth following a speech by Yousaf.