Witham MP Priti Patel has clashed with a group of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) Labour MPs who accused the Home Secretary of using her Indian heritage to cast doubt on black communities’ experience of racism.

She said she “will not be silenced” by the 33 MPs who wrote to her and accused her of having used her own experiences of prejudice to “gaslight” the racism faced by black people in the UK.

The exchange came after Ms Patel told of the racism she has herself suffered and said she would “not take lectures” on prejudice in the House of Commons.

But she was accused of having sought to “silence” the black Labour MP Florence Eshalomi, as the Labour MP called for action from the Government to tackle discrimination.

Shadow minister Naz Shah and other Labour MPs, including Ms Eshalomi, Diane Abbott, Tan Dhesi and Rosena Allin-Khan, to question Ms Patel’s attitude towards Black Lives Matter protests.

They said: “Being a person of colour does not automatically make you an authority on all forms of racism."

Ms Patel responded: “I will not be silenced by @UKLabour MPs who continue to dismiss the contributions of those who don’t conform to their view of how ethnic minorities should behave.”