DIANE Abbott is likely to have to stand down as an MP because of her comments about Jewish people, according to former colleague Lord John Mann.

Mr Mann, a former Labour MP and now a government anti-semtitism adviser, told GB News: “I can’t see her standing at the next election now. My reaction is almost sadness at the absurdity of what she said.

“Don’t forget, she represents the most recognisable Jewish community, the ultra orthodox Jewish community, quite a lot of them in Stamford Hill are her constituents and have been for the 36 or 37 years she has been in Parliament.

“They face racism every day, hassle on the streets, abuse, most of it low level, but nevertheless that’s very demeaning and damaging, sometimes worse, sometimes violent attacks, and that’s in her own patch.

“So I’m a little bewildered actually, how extraordinary her comments are. She’s always been very much on the hard left, so her kind of general political views never surprised me.

“I’ve never really agreed with her on them but that’s politics. This is something rather different.”

In a discussion with Bev Turner and Andrew Pierce, he added: “She’s received herself, I would say, more abuse than anybody else, racist abuse, in politics over the years.

“Some nasty stuff, including some in the Labour Party, and for her to come out with this is somewhat bewildering, to be honest. I mean, it’s so bad.

“I think probably a graceful retirement would now be the appropriate thing.”

Meanwhile Labour’s Shadow Treasury Secretary Pat McFadden also spoke out on the row and, pressed on whether she should be forced out of the party, he said”: “Honestly, it’s not a decision for me who’s a member…it’s for the chief whip and the leader.

“I think my views on these matters are pretty clear, and have been clear for some years. I didn’t hold with the worldview that Jeremy Corbyn held when he was leader.

“I lost my front bench job over that. I called it out quite clearly when I was a backbench Labour MP…those are my views, I think there’s no secret about them.”