Anneliese Dodds' team have confirmed the MP "strongly condemns" MP Rupa Huq's comments describing chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng as "superficially" black - dismissing claims she was present when they were made. 

Ms Huq, the Ealing Central and Acton MP, will now sit in Parliament as an independent and was recorded making the comments on Monday evening at a fringe event entitled What's Next for Labour's Agenda on Race.

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Ms Huq said of the Tory chancellor: "He's superficially, he's, a black man but again 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."

The comments were quickly slammed by politicians across the political spectrum and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said they were "racist".

Following the controversy, there was much confusion about whether Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds was present when the comments were made.

A spokesperson for Anneliese Dodds said: “It is factually inaccurate to say that Anneliese Dodds was present when these racist remarks were made.

“Anneliese did attend the conference fringe event ‘What’s next for Labour’s agenda on race’ on Monday, September 26.

“She arrived at around 10.30am for the start of the event and departed at 11am for another speaking engagement, before the event ended. 

“As confirmed by the Chair of the event, British Future’s Sunder Katwala, she was not present when these racist comments were made by Rupa Huq MP about the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

“Our understanding is that these racist comments were also challenged in the room immediately. Anneliese also strongly condemns them.

“Rupa Huq MP has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party.”

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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