Labour MP Kate Osamor has whip restored after being suspended for Gaza comments
8 May 2024, 16:00
Labour MP Kate Osamor has had the party whip restored after being suspended for a controversial comment about Gaza.
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Labour said the whip had been restored to the MP for Edmonton in north London after "a full investigation".
Ms Osamor, 55, was suspended in January for saying that the war in Gaza should also be remembered as a genocide, in comments made on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day.
Labour chiefs said they would investigate the former shadow development secretary's remarks, and she said sorry.
Her apology read: "Holocaust Memorial Day is a day to remember the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust and the genocides that have occurred since.
"I apologise for any offence caused by my reference to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza as part of that period of remembrance."
Read more: Labour MP has whip suspended for controversial Gaza tweet about Holocaust Memorial Day
A Labour party spokesperson said on Wednesday: "The chief whip has today restored the Labour whip to Kate Osamor MP.
"This follows a full investigation by the Labour party into complaints received about a social media post she made in January.”
Ms Osamor, who has been an MP since 2015, said: “I am grateful to the Labour party for their investigation into my conduct and I accept the outcome in full.
"I want to unreservedly apologise again for my comments. I made remarks which were insensitive, inappropriate, and which I apologise for and regret.
"I will continue to reach out to Jewish stakeholders and the community. I am committed to ensuring that I don’t fall short of the highest standards. I look forward to continuing to represent my constituents of Edmonton in Westminster as a Labour MP."
Labour has faced pressure from some in the party, including many Muslims, for its stance on Gaza. Some onlookers believe that Labour's position cost it a significant amount of votes in the recent local elections.
Ms Osamor's restitution to the party comes after Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke joined Labour in a surprise defection earlier on Wednesday.
It comes a month after the party also restored the whip to Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, who was suspended in October after using the phrase "between the river and the sea" in a speech at a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Mr McDonald said it had not been his intention to use language that would cause distress and that he "bitterly regret(ted)" the "pain and hurt caused".
Former Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn remain suspended over comments relating to antisemitism.
