Amber Rudd apologises for calling Diane Abbott a ‘coloured woman’ in BBC radio interview

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has hit out at Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd for calling her a “coloured woman” in a BBC interview.

Ms Rudd, who was speaking about racism on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show, said: “It’s worst of all if you’re a coloured woman. I know that Diane Abbott gets a huge amount of abuse.”

Ms Abbott took to Twitter to condemn the choice of language.

“The term ‘coloured’, is an outdated, offensive and revealing choice of words,” she wrote.

Ms Rudd swiftly apologised, posting a statement to social media.

“Mortified at my clumsy language and sorry to @HackneyAbbott,” she wrote. 

“My point stands: that no one should suffer abuse because of their race or gender.”

Ms Abbott has spoken out in the past over racist abuse she receives, including on Twitter.

“My staff still spend a considerable amount of time removing and blocking abusive or threatening posts from social media,” she said in December, adding: “Overwhelmingly the abuse is of a highly offensive racist and misogynist character.”