Pressure mounts on Diane Abbott to stand down at election over ‘anti-Semitism’ as ex-Labour MP says it’s ‘end of career’

DIANE Abbott faced mounting pressure to stand down at the next election today after she falsely claimed Jewish people and Travellers don’t experience racism.

One shadow minister said: “There is surely no way back for her, it’s time to kick her out for good.”

A Labour MP added: “It’s time she stood down as an MP for her own sake and to do the party a favour.”

Ex-Labour MP and government antisemitism tsar Lord John Mann told Sky News he thinks Ms Abbott will stand down at the next election.

“I would anticipate she’ll retire now,” he said.

“There isn’t a hierarchy of racism – that my racism is worse than your racism. At different times in different ways it hits people.

“But everyone who is impacted is impacted.”

The veteran MP and former shadow Home Secretary sparked fury over the weekend after she claimed Jewish people couldn’t suffer from racism – just a prejudice similar to people with red hair.

Jeremy Corbyn-ally Ms Abbott later issued a weak apology blaming a “drafting error”.

Ms Abbott will now sit as an independent MP pending an investigation.

She acknowledged Jews had experienced “monstrous” effects of racism.

This morning Shadow Minister Pat McFadden insisted Sir Keir Starmer is “determined to turn the page on some of the culture that had been in the Labour Party before he became leader”.

But he said whether she can stand for her Hackney constituency at the next general election “will be a matter for the chief whip and the leader”.

Mr McFadden said: “I think the comments were completely wrong. They were offensive to people and based on a very wrong idea that there can be some sort of hierarchy when it comes to victims of racism.

“Anyone who has looked at the history will know that Jewish people have suffered the most terrible racism.

“Even recently antisemitism is still a problem in our society. I think what she said was wrong in its own terms and the chief whip and the leader had no choice but to take the action they took yesterday.”