Angela Smith apologises for 'misspeaking so badly' as Labour splitters hit with racism row two hours after launch
The new independent group of MPs in parliament is hit by an embarrassing row, as Angela Smith faces calls to stand down.
Monday 18 February 2019 18:21, UK
An MP who quit Labour as part of a splinter group has apologised for a gaffe during a live TV interview on racism just hours later.
Angela Smith appeared to describe ethnic minority people as having a "funny tinge".
She had been speaking about how a person's race or gender put them at a greater disadvantage, featuring on a panel on the BBC's Politics Live programme.
She said: "I would add to the argument to say that a white working class woman finds life hard enough.
"A BME [Black or Minority Ethnic] working class woman, and this is the gender aspect, will find it even harder. But it's not just about colour, you know.
"The recent history of the party I've just left suggests that it's not just about being black, or, a funny tin- you know, from the BME community."
Some on Twitter said Ms Smith made the comments in reference to those of another panellist, senior editor at Novara Media Ash Sarkar.
Ms Sarkar had been speaking before and described her step dad as "more of a pink-ish colour".
She talked about how a "huge part" of her relationships with her white family members had been "navigating" their "wildly different… experiences".
Ms Smith released an apology video hours later, saying she was "very sorry for any offence caused" and "very upset that I misspoke so badly".
"I am committed to fighting racism wherever I find it in our society," the Penistone and Stocksbridge MP added.
Ms Sarkar called it "mealy-mouthed politics of old that these 7 MPs claim to deride".
She continued: "The people who deserve an apology are constituents in Penistone and Stocksbridge.
"They campaigned for a Labour MP, they voted for a Labour MP, and now they've got an opportunist recanting on the manifesto they stood for."
Labour MP Rupa Huq told Sky News: "It was an unfortunate choice of words and she's apologised since, but it looks - at best - probably like some sort of Alf Garnett-esque 1970s outburst when it was ok to say those things."
Ms Smith is among seven Labour parliamentarians who have broken away from the party and set up a new group of independent MPs.
She was joined by Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie and Ann Coffey.
Ms Huq added: "For a party that's trying to project an image of being modern and one of their rationales was being the anti-antisemitism party, this sort of casual racism that carelessly slips out is inexcusable."