Labour MP Jess Phillips isn’t racist, her entrance bench colleague Bridget Phillipson has stated after she was accused of « excessive and unprompted hostility » by high-profile headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh.
Ms Phillipson, Labour’s shadow schooling secretary, informed Sky Information there’s a formal course of out there to those that want to elevate any issues.
Talking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, she was requested about accusations of « racist and bullying behaviour » by Ms Phillips, made by former chairwoman of the Social Mobility Fee Ms Birbalsingh – as soon as dubbed « Britain’s strictest headteacher ».
She accused the Birmingham Yardley MP of in search of to « whip up a social media mob » towards her on Twitter.
« My response to anybody who feels sad in regards to the conduct of a Labour MP is that they need to complain by means of our processes after which the matter could be regarded into, » Ms Phillipson stated.
« And as Members of Parliament, we’re additionally topic to a code of conduct… and there are processes in place for persons are sad with an MP’s behaviour, to report it in that manner, I’d recommend that to any person that’s sad in regards to the conduct of a Member of Parliament. »
Requested if she thought Ms Phillips is racist, she stated: « No I do not. However I feel it is necessary that if folks have issues, in the event that they’re sad in regards to the conduct of a Member of Parliament, that may be investigated as a part of that course of. »
The row got here after Ms Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Group College in Brent, stated she inadvertently tweeted an image of Tina Turner alongside her abusive former husband Ike Turner amid tributes to the late star.
Ms Phillips then tweeted « maintain the road! », including: « Stick with me! Home abuse isn’t okay and we’ll defeat those that prop up the established order… »
Ms Birbalsingh, who describes herself as having « small c conservative values », wrote a four-page open letter to Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer that includes a collection of tweets from Ms Phillips.
She wrote: « She impressed a vicious mob assault towards me on Twitter on the night of Might 24 2023, and referred to as into query my college’s safeguarding insurance policies in a deliberative try to problem my competence as a Headteacher. »
She additionally stated that she can be reporting Ms Phillips to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Requirements.
‘Her behaviour is a transparent instance of « unconscious bias »‘
Ms Birbalsingh wrote: « Ms Phillips doesn’t know me. She has by no means met me. She has by no means visited my college. The varsity isn’t in her constituency. In her Shadow Ministerial position, she has not beforehand publicly accused every other college headteachers on this manner.
« My view is that Ms Phillips’ excessive and unprompted hostility in direction of me is motivated by my race. By this I don’t imply that she hates all folks of color.
« Her behaviour is a transparent instance of ‘unconscious bias’. I imply that she hates me, regardless of not realizing me, as a result of she subscribes to the concept that Black and Asian people in public life owe an obligation to voice opinions that match with a left-wing view of the world, or they’re worthy of her contempt. »
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Ms Phillips, the shadow minister for home violence and safeguarding, is considered one of Labour’s most high-profile MPs and an everyday consumer of Twitter.
Ms Birbalsingh, who just lately spoke on the Nationwide Conservatism convention in London, stated she was a « floating voter » and was not a member of the Conservative social gathering.
However she claimed her attendance on the right-wing occasion helped clarify Ms Phillips’ anger in direction of her.
She stated Ms Phillips had introduced Labour into « disrepute » and referred to as on Sir Keir to take motion.
« I would love assurances that no matter what views are held by any member of your Shadow crew or social gathering, baseless and unfounded abuse won’t be directed in direction of my college and me. That is fully unacceptable, » she informed the Labour chief.
Sky Information has contacted Ms Phillips for her response.
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