LABOUR’S left today pledged to push back against Sir Keir Starmer’s purge of rebel MPs from the parliamentary party.

But the Labour leader doubled down on his witch hunt, suspending the whip from the Mother of the House, Parliament’s longest serving woman MP and the first black woman MP in history Diane Abbott — for the second time.

Ms Abbott said today that she had no regrets about comments on racism, which led to her being suspended by the party when in opposition.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Reflections: “I just think that it’s silly to try and claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism.”

Downing Street said it took the remarks “incredibly seriously,” and a Labour spokesperson later clarified that Ms Abbott had again been suspended from the party pending an investigation.

Ms Abbott was previously held in limbo for over a year during an “investigation” in which nobody contacted or interviewed her for months, only being allowed back in shortly before the general election.

Asked if she would condemn anti-semitic conduct, Abbott replied: “Well of course, and I do get a bit weary of people trying to pin the anti-semitic label on me because I’ve spent a lifetime fighting racism of all kinds and in particular fighting anti-semitism, partly because of the nature of my constituency [in Hackney North], which has a significant Jewish population.”

Campaign groups Momentum, Compass and Open Labour launched a joint petition demanding that Downing Street reverses the suspension of the rebel four: Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchcliff, Brian Leishman and Rachael Maskell.

The quartet had the whip removed on Wednesday in what was seen as revenge by the weakened Prime Minister for being forced into a humiliating U-turn over his plan to slash benefits for disabled people.

Compass, on the centre-left of the party, said: “It is time to build constructive and respectful relationships with all backbenchers and the whole of the Labour Party.”

Open Labour said the “divisive decision to suspend MPs who opposed disability cuts does not strengthen the government — the move will only embolden those on the populist right wanting to see the government fail.”

MPs were rallying behind the suspended four yesterday.

Labour MP John Trickett called for “solidarity with the suspended four,” adding: “It’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled.

“Instead of learning from their error, the government has mistakenly suspended four decent MPs.”

And Labour MP Clive Lewis said he stood in solidarity with the four, pointing out that “the issues they took a stand on — like opposing cuts to welfare support — are not fringe positions.

“They reflect the views of Labour members, supporters, and many former voters who now feel the party has turned its back on them.”

Mr Leishman won support from his local party in Falkirk, which issued a statement saying he has “the full support and backing of our members.

“Brian has stood firm in his support for Grangemouth and Alloa as well as representing the ideals of our membership,” it said.

There is Westminster talk of Cabinet splits over Sir Keir’’s handling of the issue, but little sign that this will lead to a course change.

One left Labour MP told the Star: “I no longer believe that the Labour Party can recover.”