London: High-profile lawmaker Diane Abbott has been suspended by the main opposition Labour Party in Britain because of a letter she wrote in which she claimed that racism and prejudice against Jews were not the same thing.

According to polls, Labour is likely to form Britain's new government after an election that is scheduled for next year. However, under its previous leader, Jeremy Corbyn, the party was accused of discriminating against and harassing Jews.

The equalities watchdog found that Labour handled complaints of persistent antisemitism with serious deficiencies in 2020.

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The 69-year-old Abbott was responding to a writer's allegations of racism against Traveller, Irish, and Jewish people. 

She claimed that although there were differences, their experiences with racism were comparable.

"There is no doubt that they face prejudice. The two words are frequently used interchangeably, and this is comparable to racism, she wrote.

She wrote in the letter, "It is true that many different types of white people, like redheads, can experience this prejudice. 

But racism does not affect them throughout their entire lives.

Abbott, a lawmaker since 1987, is a close ally of Corbyn for whom she served as the party's spokesperson for home affairs. Abbott was the first Black woman elected to the British parliament.

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Prior to the civil rights movement, according to Abbott's letter to the Observer, "Irish, Jewish, and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus. These groups had voting rights in South Africa during the apartheid regime. Additionally, there were no white-appearing individuals imprisoned on the slave ships at the height of slavery.

Later, she "unreservedly" apologised and changed her mind.

She claimed in a tweet that "the errors arose in a first draught being sent." 

But there is no justification, and I regret any suffering I may have brought on.

Her suspension was announced by a Labour Party spokesperson and was temporary.

British politicians criticised her letter's remarks.

Jewish energy secretary Grant Shapps tweeted that it was "once again, Jewish people have to wake up and see a Labour MP casually spouting hateful anti-Semitism."

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After claiming that antisemitism in the party during his leadership had been "dramatically overstated" for political reasons, Corbyn was suspended and barred from running as a Labour candidate at the upcoming general election, which is expected to take place next year.

The Labour Party has made enough changes over the last two years to combat antisemitism, according to a statement made earlier this year by Britain's equalities watchdog.