Diane Abbott has been readmitted to the Labour Party following a year-long suspension that stemmed from controversy over comments she made regarding Jewish identity and racism.

The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP formally apologized for a post on the social media platform X in which she referred to the Israeli Defense Forces as the “Jewish Defence Force.” Labour confirmed her return after a disciplinary process, insisting the decision was independent of Andy Burnham’s recent appointment as Labour leader.

Ms. Abbott was initially suspended in 2023 after she made remarks in a letter to The Observer suggesting that Jewish, Irish, and Traveller communities experience prejudice but “are not all their lives subject to racism,” a comment she compared to the discrimination faced by redheads. She further complicated matters when she defended these statements in a BBC interview shortly before last year’s general election, leading to a second suspension. Since that time, Abbott had been sitting as an independent MP.

As a longstanding member of Labour’s Socialist Campaign Group—the party’s most left-wing faction—Ms. Abbott previously contested the Labour leadership against Mr. Burnham in 2010. During his leadership campaign, Mr. Burnham emphasized his commitment to ending factionalism within Labour, promising a more inclusive party culture and a softer approach to internal discipline than that of his predecessor. Just last week, Mr. Burnham appointed three members of the Socialist Campaign Group as ministerial aides, marking the first inclusion of the group in government roles under a Labour prime minister.

Mr. Burnham’s leadership follows a period under Sir Keir Starmer marked by efforts to address party discipline, including the suspension of left-wing MPs who defied the party whip on key votes and the removal of some former Corbyn allies in response to anti-Semitism allegations.

Calls for Ms. Abbott’s reinstatement came from prominent Labour figures on the left, including John McDonnell, former shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn. McDonnell publicly urged Mr. Burnham to restore the whip to Abbott, framing it as part of a broader effort to reestablish Labour as a “broad church” that respects diverse viewpoints.

In a related development, Labour MP Joani Reid, who had voluntarily suspended herself amid an investigation involving her husband, was also readmitted to the party on the same day.