The former Labour MP tells the Electoral Dysfunction podcast that the language used by politicians to describe the rioters 'let them off the hook'.
Sir Keir Starmer should have labelled the recent riots in England 'racist' earlier than he did, Thangam Debbonaire has said. The former Bristol Central MP said she was 'distraught' to see the riots unfold across the UK at the start of this month. Ms Debbonaire, who was shadow culture secretary in Sir Keir's shadow cabinet before the election was called, said as a 'mixed race woman' she wanted people to 'name these riots as race riots'.
'I understand why it was chosen to call them mindless thugs, but I don't think it's helpful because it wasn't mindless. People make choices. 'For me, I'm afraid to say - and I say this with respect to my colleagues who are using that language, I get where they are - but it lets them off the hook.' Put to her that this was the language used by the prime minister, Ms Debbonaire replied: 'And I disagree with it. I understand why he used it.
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