Sir Keir Starmer says he “utterly condemns” Diane Abbott’s comments on racism.

The former shadow home secretary has lost the Labour whip after suggesting Jewish, Irish and traveller communities are not subjected to the same racism as some other minorities.

Ms Abbott has since apologised.

“What she wrote yesterday I utterly condemn,” Mr Starmer said.

“I said we would tear out antisemitism by its roots, and I meant it. That’s why we acted so swiftly yesterday, I think it’s a mark of how far the Labour Party has changed, that we acted so quickly.”