Labour backbench MP Dawn Butler has been criticised for sharing a post describing Kemi Badenoch as “the most prominent member of white supremacy’s black collaborator class”.
Ms Butler swiftly deleted her retweet of a comment from British-Nigerian author Nels Abbey, which he posted on X shortly before the Tory leadership contest result was announced.
In the tweet – which he since clarified was satirical – he offered “some handy tips for surviving the immediate surge of Badenochism (i.e. white supremacy in blackface)”.
Ms Butler’s retweet prompted strong criticism by Conservative figures including Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty who claimed Ms Butler was “not alone on the government benches in holding this view of Kemi [Badenoch]”.
“This will be a test to see whether Keir Starmer removes the whip, or effectively condones Butler’s abhorrent approval of this smear,” he added.
Sir Keir Starmer has previously suspended the whip from Labour MPs in response to comments about senior black Conservative politicians.
In 2022, Sir Keir suspended Rupa Huq from the party for describing then-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng as “superficially” black.
Ms Huq apologised and had the whip restored six months later.
While there has been no official comment from Labour, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told LBC this morning that party issues “are always ones for the whip”.
She said she did not see the post Ms Butler shared but she “clearly, strongly” disagreed with it.
Ms Cooper said: “The words that you have read out are clearly appalling and I would strongly disagree with them.
“So, I haven’t seen the post. I don’t know the circumstances around it but I think we should congratulate Kemi Badenoch on her election.
“I will continue to disagree with her on all sorts of issues, but, nevertheless, I congratulate her on her election.”
In later posts, Mr Abbey said his original comments had been “clearly satirical” and “intended as a sketch”.
He defended Ms Butler – the member for Brent East in northwest London – saying she “may not welcome the ascendancy of an extremely right-wing reactionary black person”.
He added: “Because of stuff like this, which is vehement political disagreement, it is both fair and to be expected that many black people may not view Badenoch as (leader of the opposition) to be a ‘proud moment for our nation’.”
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The selection of Ms Badenoch, who beat Robert Jenrick to replace Rishi Sunak as the party’s leader, was marked by Sir Keir.
He called it a “proud moment” for Britain, writing on X: “Congratulations, Kemi Badenoch on becoming the Conservative Party’s new leader.
“The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country.”
Ms Badenoch is set to begin naming her shadow cabinet ahead of its first meeting on Tuesday.
One appointment emerged on Sunday after interim chief whip Stuart Andrew revealed he was being replaced by Essex MP Dame Rebecca Harris.
