Diane Abbott wrong to say Russian threat made up by Nato, minister says
David Lynch, Press Association Political Correspondent
Labour MP Diane Abbott was wrong to say the threat from Russia has been made up by Nato, a minister has said.
Anna Turley criticised the veteran Labour MP’s comments, made on social media on Wednesday, and said the Government stands “wholeheartedly behind Ukraine”.
Ms Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, had criticised plans to hike defence spending, writing on social media site X: “The imminent threat from Russia is a Nato fiction to justify their complete capitulation to Trump’s demands for more military spending. The increase should not go ahead.”
The comments came just a day after Germany pinned the blame on Russia for a drone attack at Leipzig airport in August.
Russian officials have engaged in sabre-rattling against Western nations in recent weeks, threatening to strike against the military targets in UK and other countries for providing support to Ukraine.
Home Office minister Anna Turley was asked about the Labour MP’s comments on Times Radio on Thursday morning.
She told the broadcaster: “I completely disagree with Diane Abbott, I’m afraid. I think she’s wrong on this.
“We’ve been very clear in our commitment to Ukraine. The Prime Minister has met President Zelensky and avowed our support for their nation in a steadfast way, as we have been as a Labour Government and cross-party on this issue as well.
“So, I’m afraid I fundamentally disagree with Diane Abbott on that. We stand wholeheartedly behind Ukraine in this country.”
Ms Abbott was readmitted to the Labour Party in July, after a year-long suspension from the party for repeating comments about racism for which she had previously apologised.
She had previously been suspended and investigated by the party over a letter to The Observer newspaper in 2023 in which she suggested that Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism.
The long-serving MP was subsequently readmitted to the party in time to contest her seat at the 2024 general election.
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I would not say made up, I would say amplified to justify nonsense defense spending rises, while we all still suffer austerity. What are they defending, because we are all screwed right now
The damage caused by austerity is now done. What we are enjoying now is the effect of Brexit combined with the wars waged by Putin and Trump. Sadly that means we need to fund our own defence budget rather than letting the US taxpayer do it.
Diane Abbott regularly puts her hoof in her capacious mouth and spouts ill informed nonsense. For a person with access to good quality information via various parliamentary sources and years of experience she astonishes every time. The only other conclusion is that she is sponsored by those who wish us ill.