Rebecca Ebony Goulbourne
Labour MP, Jess Phillips, has been accused of “racist and bullying behaviour” a headteacher from Northwest London. The accusations could lead to an investigation by the Labour Party.
”Her behaviour is a clear example of ‘unconscious bias'”
An open letter addressed to Sir Keir Starmer was received by the Labour Party, following a series of Twitter exchanges between Birbalsingh and Philips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley and shadow Home Office minister.
Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh stated that her race had motivated Jess Phillips to “whip up a social media mob” against her, according to The Times.
She claimed that Phillips’ “behaviour is a clear example of unconscious bias.”
Below is my open letter to Sir Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer regarding the behaviour of his Shadow Minister Jess Phillips. pic.twitter.com/vNMvceO5lr
— Katharine Birbalsingh (@Miss_Snuffy) July 1, 2023
Birbalsingh wrote in the four-page open letter that Phillips “hates me, despite not knowing me, because she subscribes to the idea that Black and Asian individuals in public life owe a duty to voice opinions that match with a left-wing view of the world, or they are worthy of her contempt.”
Twitter Exchanges
According to Birbalsingh, tension began after she tweeted an image of Tina Turner alongside her abusive former husband, Ike Turner, amid public tributes to the star.
Phillips tweeted: ”Hold the line! Stay with me! Domestic abuse is never ok and we will defeat those who prop up the status quo. I repeat Hold the line! Stay with me! We will win.”
Hold the line! Stay with me! Domestic abuse is never ok and we will defeat those who prop up the status quo. I repeat Hold the line! Stay with me! We will win. https://t.co/ibS5mpNME4
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) May 24, 2023
Shortly after Phillips’ response, Ms Birbalsingh deleted her tweet. She then tweeted: ”To the lunatics accusing me of celebrating wife beating — I tweeted a gif with a number of photos of Tina.”
“For some reason, it rested on one photo which I didn’t notice when I tweeted… nor did I know that was Ike,” wrote Birbalsingh.
She added that “the explanation is not that I like wife beating.”
National Conservatism Conference
Birbalsingh faced public backlash following her participation in the National Conservatism Conference in London. However, Birbalsingh has stated that she is a “floating voter” and was not a member of the Conservative Party.
Yes. You see?
Even the BBC is saying I should not have spoken at that conference!
Can’t you see it??
WHY should I not have spoken at the conference?
Why is everyone else allowed to and I am not?
— Katharine Birbalsingh (@Miss_Snuffy) July 2, 2023
Following the dispute, Ms Birbalsingh told MSN news: “My view is that Ms Phillips’ extreme and unprompted hostility towards me is motivated by my race. By this I do not mean that she hates all people of colour.”
She maintains that her attendance at the National Conservatism Conference helped explain Ms Phillips’ anger towards her.
She further stated that Phillips has brought Labour into “disrepute” and encouraged Sir Keir Starmer to investigate the claims against her.
Many ministers have stood with Jess Phillips against the accusations of racism. Following the Twitter conflict, Labour’s Bridget Phillipson responded that “Jess Phillips is not racist.”
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Featured image courtesy of Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Rebecca Goulbourne
Undergrad English student with an intense passion for storytelling, writing, and critical thinking.