英国工党领导人Andy Burnham上台不到两周，宣布重新接纳议员Diane Abbott和Joani Reid加入党团，并恢复两人的议会党鞭地位[1]。两人此前因不同原因被停权，党方表示决定遵循独立纪律程序，领导层未参与[1]。
Abbott曾在2023年4月因在《观察者报》刊登的信件中声称犹太人、爱尔兰人和旅行民族经历的是偏见而非种族歧视而失去党鞭[1]。她在2024年大选前恢复了党鞭，但在同年7月因BBC采访中重申类似观点再次被停权[1]。独立调查程序结束后，Abbott表示道歉并收到党的正式警告[1]。Reid的丈夫David Taylor于3月被反恐警察逮捕，涉嫌协助外国情报部门，Reid随后自愿交出党鞭，但她本人从未被指控有任何不当行为[1]。
Burnham已向工党议员表示将改变纪律文化，允许议员在不惧党鞭报复的情况下表达分歧[1]。两项调查均根据工党规则进行，并由党的独立审查委员会批准[1]。
UK Labour Party leader Andy Burnham has announced the readmission of MPs Diane Abbott and Joani Reid to the parliamentary party, restoring their whip status less than two weeks into his leadership.[1] The decision follows independent disciplinary procedures that the party said did not involve direct involvement from the leadership.[1]
Abbott regains her position after an independent investigation concluded, during which she issued an apology and received a formal party warning.[1] Her first suspension from the whip occurred in April 2023 following a letter published in The Observer in which she stated that Jewish people, Irish people, and Traveller communities experienced prejudice rather than racism.[1] She had her whip restored ahead of the 2024 general election but was suspended again in July 2024 after reiterating similar views during a BBC interview.[1]
Reid voluntarily relinquished her whip in March after her husband, David Taylor, was arrested by counterterrorism police on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence agency.[1] Reid herself has never been accused of any misconduct.[1]
Burnham has signaled to Labour MPs his intention to shift the party's disciplinary culture, pledging to create an environment where members can express disagreement without fear of whip retaliation.[1] Both investigations were conducted according to party rules and approved by the party's independent review committee.[1]