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Photo : Rupa Huq is believed to have made the comments at an event for the British Future and Black Equity organisations at Labour’s party conference.
MP Rupa Huq has had the whip suspended from the Labour Party after she was heard describing Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng as “superficially” Black, ITV News understands.
Dr Huq was heard in an audio clip published online discussing the chancellor’s elite school background saying “you wouldn’t know he is Black” when listening to him on the radio.
She is believed to have made the remarks at a fringe event for the British Future and Black Equity organisations at Labour’s party conference in Liverpool on Monday.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was under pressure to remove the whip from the politician over the remarks that were criticised by Angela Rayner and David Lammy, as well as Conservatives.
It is understood the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, in west London, has now been administratively suspended from the party, meaning she has lost the party whip.
A Labour spokesperson said “we condemn” the “totally inappropriate” remarks made by Dr Huq earlier on Tuesday and called on her to apologise.
Photo : Kwasi Kwarteng became the UK’s first Black chancellor when Liz Truss formed her new government.
Dr Huq can be heard saying in the audio: “Superficially he is a Black man.
“He went to Eton, I think, he went to a very expensive prep school, all the way through, the top schools in the country.
“If you hear him on the Today programme, you wouldn’t know he is Black.”
Tory Party Chairman Jake Berry raised his “serious concerns” in a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, with the audio being published by the Guido Fawkes website shortly before his conference speech.
“I trust you will join me in unequivocally condemning these comments as nothing less than racist and that the Labour whip be withdrawn from Rupa Huq as a consequence,” he wrote.
Sharing his letter on Twitter, he demanded the Labour leader act over Dr Huq’s “disgusting comments”.
Shadow deputy leader Ms Rayner told BBC Politics Live: “She should apologise for those comments.
“For me those comments are completely unacceptable.
“I think Rupa needs to reflect on what she has said and she needs to take immediate action.”
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy added: “I wouldn’t have made them myself and clearly I hope Rupa apologises and retracts them, frankly.”
