Ealing Central and Acton MP Dr Rupa Huq is no longer suspended by the Labour party and has had the whip restored.
In September 2022, Dr Huq had her party whip withdrawn over comments made at a Labour Party fringe event in Liverpool in which Dr Huq said of Kwasi Kwarteng, the then first black Chancellor of the Exchequer: “Superficially he is a black man… if you hear him on the Today Programme, you wouldn’t know he is black.”
Speaking following her suspension, Dr Huq said: “During my suspension I have reflected on the offence caused by my remarks at last year’s Labour Party Conference and I want to offer, once again, my sincere apologies to everyone affected.”
She added: “As I promised at the time, I have undertaken and completed anti-racism and bias training. I want to make clear that I accept fully the conclusion of the Party’s inquiry and the sanction it has imposed.”
Dr Huq was was taking part as a panellist in the fringe event called “What’s Next for Labour’s Agenda on Race?” and her comments were revealed in an audio recording of the fringe event which was published by political blog Guido Fawkes.
In the audio clip released by Guido Fawkes, Dr Huq said of Mr Kwarteng: “He’s superficially, he’s, a black man but again he’s got more in common… he went to Eton, he went to a very expensive prep school, all the way through top schools in the country. If you hear him on the Today programme you wouldn’t know he’s black.”