Diane Abbott, the UK's first Black woman elected to Parliament, announced on Wednesday that she has been barred from running as a Labour candidate in the

upcoming general election on July 4. Abbott, who has represented Labour since 1987, was suspended over a year ago for comments she made regarding Jews and racism.

A prominent figure on the left wing of the Labour Party and a close ally of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, Abbott faced suspension following a letter she wrote to the Observer newspaper. In the letter, she stated that while Jewish people undoubtedly experience prejudice, it is not the same as racism.

"They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable," Abbott wrote. "It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism."

Although Abbott issued an "unreserved" apology after the letter was published, she was suspended from the party. On Wednesday, she told the BBC that although she has been readmitted to the party, which is known as having the whip restored, she is still prohibited from standing as a Labour candidate.

"Although the whip has been restored, I am banned from standing as a Labour candidate," Abbott said. Photo by Policy Exchange, Wikimedia commons.