Black London MP reveals 'racism of fellow MP 'who assumed she was a cleaner'

A London MP has said she was a victim of racism when a fellow MP assumed she was a cleaner.

Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent Central, said the incident took place in a Members’-only lift at Parliament.

She revealed the incident on the Piennar’s Politics show on BBC Five Live on Sunday, although she refused to name the MP.

After being asked if she had ever suffered racism in Parliament, she replied: “Yes - God, there are so many incidents.

“There was a time when I was in the lift. It was a Members’ lift that Members of Parliament use specially in cases [where] we have get to places quickly.

“I was in the lift and some other MP said, ‘This lift really isn’t for cleaners’.”

In 2008, Ms Butler wrote about a separate incident where she claimed the former Tory minister David Heathcote-Amory challenged her for sitting in a Members’ area.

“He actually said to me, ‘What are you doing here? This is for Members only’,” she wrote.

“He then proceeded to ask me, 'Are you a member?' And I said, ‘Yes I am, are you?‘ And he turned around and said to his colleague, ‘They’re letting anybody in nowadays.’”

At the time, Mr Heathcote-Amory rejected the claim that his remarks were racist as “absurd”, adding: “What she is actually objecting to is that I didn’t recognise her as a new MP."