Labour MP Jess Phillips: Twitter clash with Katharine Birbalsingh explained, racism accusations, is she racist

Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips is facing allegations of engaging in "racist and bullying behaviour" following a heated exchange on social media with prominent headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh.

Birbalsingh, formerly the chairwoman of the Social Mobility Commission and known as "Britain's strictest headteacher," accused the MP for Birmingham Yardley of attempting to rally a social media mob against her on Twitter.

The incident occurred when Katharine Birbalsingh, who leads the highly successful Michaela Community School in Brent, said she inadvertently shared a picture of Tina Turner alongside her abusive former husband, Ike Turner, while paying tribute to the late star.

Phillips, the shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, is one of Labour’s most high-profile MPs and a regular user of Twitter. Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is Phillips accused of?

In a four-page, open letter to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Birbalsingh wrote: “She inspired a vicious mob attack against me on Twitter on the evening of May 24 2023, and called into question my school’s safeguarding policies in a deliberative attempt to challenge my competence as a Headteacher.”

She also said that she would be reporting Phillips to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. She wrote: “Ms Phillips does not know me. She has never met me. She has never visited my school. The school is not in her constituency. In her Shadow Ministerial role, she has not previously publicly accused any other school headteachers in this way.

“My view is that Ms Phillips’ extreme and unprompted hostility towards me is motivated by my race. By this I do not mean that she hates all people of colour.

“Her behaviour is a clear example of ‘unconscious bias’. I mean that she hates me, despite not knowing me, because she subscribes to the idea that Black and Asian individuals in public life owe a duty to voice opinions that match with a left-wing view of the world, or they are worthy of her contempt.”

Birbalsingh, who recently spoke at the National Conservatism conference in London, said she was a “floating voter” and was not a member of the Conservative party. But she claimed that her attendance at the right-wing event helped explain Phillips’ anger towards her.

She said that Ms Phillips had brought Labour into “disrepute” and called on Sir Keir to take action. “I would like assurances that regardless of what views are held by any member of your Shadow team or party, baseless and unfounded abuse will not be directed towards my school and me. This is entirely unacceptable,” she told the Labour leader.

What has Phillips said?

At the time of writing, neither Phillips nor the Labour Party has commented on the matter. But shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said she does not believe her frontbench colleague is racist.

Asked about the allegations on Sunday (2 July), Phillipson said she does not believe her colleague is racist, but anyone who is unhappy with the conduct of an MP should make their concerns known through the formal parliamentary process. Phillipson was asked on Sky’s Sophie Ridge On Sunday programme to respond to the allegations levelled at her colleague.

She said: “My reaction to anyone who feels unhappy about the conduct of a Labour MP is that they should complain through our processes and then the matter can be looked into. And, as Members of Parliament, we’re also subject to a code of conduct… and there are processes in place for people who are unhappy with an MP’s behaviour, to report it in that way.

“I would suggest that to any individual that’s unhappy about the conduct of a Member of Parliament.” Asked if she thinks Phillips is racist, Phillipson said: “No, I don’t. But I think it’s important that, if people have concerns, if they’re unhappy about the conduct of a Member of Parliament, that can be investigated as part of that process.”

She was also asked if there is any truth in claims that criticism has been levelled at the headteacher because she is not seen as being left-wing. Phillipson said: “When I visit schools the length and breadth of the country, what I find are dedicated people who are focused on making sure children get a great start in life.

“Very rarely will the conversation drift into politics. What people come into teaching to do, and what people when they become school leaders are focused on as well, is delivering really high-quality education. And that’s as it should be.”