Former Labour MP Angela Smith says she was 'very, very tired' when she made 'funny tinge' comment
A former Labour MP has claimed she appeared to describe BAME people as having a "funny tinge" because she was "very, very tired".
Angela Smith, one of the seven rebel MPs who quit the Labour Party, sparked a row after making the comment on BBC's Politics Live show on Monday.
Remarking that Jewish people suffer similar "alienation" to other ethnic minority communities, she said: "It is not just about being black or a funny tin ... you know, different - from the BME community."
Appearing on Sky News on Tuesday, Ms Smith addressed her comments and said she was “very tired” after six hours of press engagements, which led her to “misspeak really badly”.
“I never meant to say that, I misspoke really badly. I was very very tired at that point, I had six hours of press engagements and I was very tired. I was very tired, I misspoke really badly,” she said.
“That’s not who I am, I’m very confident about that,” Ms Smith added. “That’s not who I am and I think anybody who knows me would verify that.”
Asked what she was trying to say by Sky’s Kay Burley, she continued: “I’m not going to go into that.
“I think I got there in the end and I made it clear that for BAME communities in our country, and particularly women in BAME communities, there are real problems we have to address. That’s all I was trying to say.”
Ms Smith yesterday said she was "very sorry" for any offence caused during the television interview.
Following the broadcast, Ms Smith said in a video posted on her Twitter feed: "I am very sorry about any offence caused and I am very upset that I misspoke so badly.
"It is not what I am. I am committed to fighting racism wherever I find it in our society."
Ms Smith was one of seven MPs to announce they were leaving Labour to form the new Independent Group, citing - among other issues - Jeremy Corbyn's handling of allegations of anti-Semitism within the party.
