Saffron Walden MP on receiving end of Rupa Huq's 'racist' remark

Rupa Huq has been forced to apologise to chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng after she said he is "superficially black" in a Labour Party Conference fringe event yesterday (Monday, September 26).

In making the remark about Mr Kwarteng, Ms Huq also took aim at the MP for Saffron Walden, criticising her involvement in the Conservative Party leadership contest earlier this summer - which was ultimately won by now-prime minister Liz Truss.

Labour MP Rupa Huq has been suspended from her party after saying chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) is "superficially black" (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire/PA Images)

Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden - which includes Great Dunmow, Stansted Mountfitchet and Writtle (Image: Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images)

Conservative chair Jake Berry MP said the comments by Ms Huq - MP for Ealing Central and Acton - were "racist" and "vile".

The west London MP has also attracted criticism from members of her own party - and Labour has suspended the party whip from Ms Huq within hours of her making the "superficially black" remark.

In audio published on the Guido Fawkes blog, Ms Huq said of Mr Kwarteng: "I'm sorry if I was not making myself understood clearly.

"He's superficially a black man.

"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."

Ms Huq is also reported to have said: "Superficially, they've had four brown chancellors and that.

"But when you have a little brown guy who... And also the leadership contest I think that I'd say alludes to that, when there was, say, Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, all these people in it."

Sunder Katwala, who chaired the event, reportedly hit back at the comments when they were made.

He said Mr Kwarteng's Conservative stance "doesn't make him not black".

Mr Katwala added: "I think the Labour Party has to be really careful."

Speaking on Politics Live earlier today (Tuesday, September 27), David Lammy urged Ms Huq to "stand those comments down".

He said: "I wouldn't have made them myself."

Labour MP David Lammy urged Rupa Huq to withdraw her comments on Kwasi Kwarteng (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Archive/PA Images)

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, pictured here in 2021 (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Archive/PA Images)

Conservative Party chair Jake Berry wrote to Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, about the comments.

Mr Berry said: "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."

A letter from Conservative Party chair Jake Berry to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer following comments made by Rupa Huq MP. Ms Huq has since had the Labour whip suspended (Image: Jake Berry MP/Conservative Party)

Ms Huq has since apologised for the comments.

She said today (September 27): "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.

"My comments were ill-judged and I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone affected."

During her suspension from the Labour Party, Ms Huq may continue to represent Ealing Central and Acton in the House of Commons as an independent member.