Sir Keir Starmer has branded Rupa Huq’s comments about Kwasi Kwarteng “superficial” black as clearly “racist”.
The Labor leader welcomed the party that took “very swift action” by suspending Ms Huq’s membership following her comments at a fringe event at the Labor Party conference in Liverpool.
Ms Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton in west London, offered a “sincere and sincere” apology to Mr Kwarteng for her “ill-considered” comments, after she was criticized by senior Labor figures.
“I contacted Kwasi Kwarteng today to offer my sincere and sincere apologies for the comments I made. My comments were unjustified and I sincerely apologize to everyone affected,” she said on Tuesday.
Ms. Huq was nevertheless administratively suspended from the party and lost the whip.
‘What she said was racist in my eyes’
Commenting on the incident, Sir Keir told LBC Radio: “What she said was racist in my opinion, it was wrong and she has been suspended from the whip in the party and that was done very, very quickly.
“I think that shows how strongly I feel about those comments.”
The Labor leader said it was not his decision to suspend Ms Huq, but welcomed it as an “I absolutely agree”, saying the MP is now facing an investigation.
Sir Keir also admitted it was “frustrating” to have to discuss the comments at the party’s conference, which was otherwise considered a success.
‘On the surface he is a black man’
In audio published by the Guido Fawkes website, Ms. Huq was heard talking about Mr. Kwarteng’s elite school background, before saying that “you wouldn’t know he’s black” if you listen to him on the radio.
“On the surface, he’s a black man,” she told the event. “He went to Eton, I think. He went to a very expensive prep school. All the way through, the best schools in the country.
“If you hear him on the Today program, you wouldn’t know he’s black.”
Jake Berry, the chairman of the Tory party, expressed his “serious concerns” in a letter to Sir Keir, demanding the suspension of Ms Huq.