Labour MP Rupa Huq suspended and apologises after calling Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng ‘superficially’ black
A Labour MP has been suspended from the party after she was accused of making “racist” comments about the chancellor.
Rupa Huq was administratively suspended pending an investigation after she claimed that Kwasi Kwarteng was “superficially” black.
The MP for Ealing Central and Acton made the remarks about the UK’s first black chancellor at a Labour conference fringe event on Monday entitled “What’s Next for Labour’s Agenda on Race?”.
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After her suspension, Ms Huq apologised for her “ill-judged” comments.
“I have today contacted Kwasi Kwarteng to offer my sincere and heartfelt apologies for the comments I made at yesterday’s Labour conference fringe meeting,” she posted on social media.
“My comments were ill-judged and I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone affected.”
Jake Berry, the Conservative Party chairman, had condemned Ms Huq’s “vile” comments before her suspension and urged Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, to remove the whip.
Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, told Ms Huq to apologise and take “immediate action” over the “completely unacceptable” remarks.
‘You wouldn’t know he is black’
In audio posted online by the Guido Fawkes website, Ms Huq says of Mr Kwarteng: “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.”
Labour said: “We condemn the remarks and urge her to withdraw them and apologise.”
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‘Appalling comments’
In a letter to Sir Keir on Tuesday, Mr Berry said the Labour leader must take action against Ms Huq.
Expressing his “serious concerns”, he wrote: “During an event organised by the British Future and Black Equity Organisation and attended by shadow secretary of state for women and equalities Anneliese Dodds, Rupa Huq made a number of racist comments about the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng.”
He continued: “Sunder Katwala, the event chair, was forced to respond to her appalling comments about the chancellor by saying his Conservative views ‘doesn’t make him not black… and I think the Labour Party has to be really careful’.
“I trust you will join me in unequivocally condemning these comments as nothing less than racist and that the Labour whip will be withdrawn from Rupa Huq as a consequence.”
In a tweet, Mr Katwala said Ms Dodds was no longer at the meeting when the comments were made.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, told the BBC that the remarks were “unfortunate” and that Ms Huq should “stand those comments down”.
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David Lammy on Rupa Huq’s comments
Also speaking to the broadcaster, Ms Rayner said: “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.”
Sajid Javid, the Conservative former health secretary, said he was “appalled and saddened” by the comments.
“Rather than give encouragement to racists and people who seek to divide us, she should know better,” he posted on social media.
“Not too late for her to show that she does.”
The suspension came shortly after Sir Keir finished his conference speech, which he used to argue now is a “Labour moment” for the party to provide the leadership the nation “so desperately needs”.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has directly called on his US and Chinese counterparts to join his latest summit for peace in Ukraine.
Speaking from Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Friday, Mr Zelenskyy announced a “global peace summit”, co-hosted by Switzerland, starting on 15 June.
He claimed 80 countries have already confirmed their attendance.
But he said: “I am appealing to the global leaders of the world who are still outside the global efforts of the global peace summit.
“To President Biden, the leader of the United States, and to President Xi, the leader of China, we do not want the UN charter to be burned.
“Please show your leadership in advancing the peace.”
Residents evacuated from a building hit by strikes in Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
He added that it must be “real peace – not just a pause in the strikes” after various ceasefire breaches by the Russians.
Finally, he urged: “The efforts of the global majority are the best guarantee that all commitments will be fulfilled.”
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Shopping mall hit by strike in Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
Printworks and shopping centre targeted this week
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, with a pre-war population of 1.5 million people, is close to the frontline, and has been consistently targeted since the initial invasion in February 2022.
On Thursday, its ‘Vivat’ printworks, which is the country’s largest, was hit by missiles, killing seven people, and destroying an estimated 50,000 books. A further 21 people were injured, Ukrainian officials said.
On Saturday, a strike on a shopping centre killed six people, injured 40, and left a further 16 unaccounted for, local authorities said.
Elsewhere in the city, an additional 11 people were injured as a result of strikes, including a 13-year-old boy.
Just over the border, in Russia’s Belgorod region, the regional governor there said four residents died as a result of Ukrainian attacks on Saturday.
Aftermath of Russian strike on Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
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Mr Zelenskyy warned a new Russian offensive is being planned northwest of Kharkiv.
Ukrainians and military analysts have repeatedly warned of depleting weapon supplies on the frontline.
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Earlier this month the US agreed to a further $2bn (£1.6bn) in military support for Ukraine.
It has consistently resisted calls to send US troops there, in line with NATO’s refusal for direct involvement in the conflict.
China has resisted calls by NATO and its member states to take a direct stance against Russia in support of Ukraine.
President Xi hosted Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a show of “friendship” earlier this month.
Hamas has launched rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza for the first time in months.
The barrage of rockets set off air raid sirens in cities as far away as Tel Aviv.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in what appeared to be the first long-range rocket attack from Gaza since January, although Palestinian militants have continued to sporadically fire rockets and mortar rounds at communities along the Gaza border since then.
Hamas’s military wing claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Israeli military said eight projectiles crossed into Israel after being launched from the area of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israeli forces recently launched an incursion.
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At least six newborn babies have died after a fire broke out at a children’s hospital in India, according to reports.
Firefighters said they carried 12 newborns out of the centre in the Vivek Vihar district of east New Delhi late on Saturday night, but five of them died due to smoke inhalation.
Two other infants are believed to have already died, according to local media. There are differing reports as to whether six or seven infants have been killed so far.
Another five survived and are being treated in a nearby hospital, Delhi fire department chief Atul Garg said.
The blaze, which broke out on the first floor of the hospital, was put out after about an hour.
Burnt registration cards lie on the floor of the hospital. Pic: AP
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Mr Garg told the ANI news agency that an oxygen cylinder blast was the likely cause of the fire, but there has been no official confirmation.
“It was a very tough operation,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.
“We made two teams. One team started firefighting because there was a blast of cylinders. We can say it was a chain of blasts of cylinders.
“We had to save ourselves also. We started rescue operations for babies as well. Unfortunately, we could not save all the children… That is a regrettable incident.”
The owner of the baby hospital has fled, according to Delhi police.
Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister, called the fire “heartbreaking”, adding that the “causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared”.
Machines move debris after a fire in Rajkot. Pic: Reuters
Earlier on Saturday, at least 27 people were killed in a fire at a crowded amusement park in the city of Rajkot in Gujarat state in western India.
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