OUTSPOKEN Labour MP Diane Abbott says her claim on television that Bolton Council "dump all their Asians on one estate" was taken out of context.

She said her comments, made after former Tory MP Michael Portillo suggested Britain should dismantle multi-culturalism, was not intended to be an attack on Bolton.

But they continue to spark anger, with Bolton South-east MP Brian Iddon confronting her face-to-face. "I told her she was wrong," he said.

Ms Abbott's remarks came during a discussion about multi-culturalism on BBC TV's This Week programme, angering her Labour colleagues, councillors and community leaders.

But Ms Abbott, who is MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said: "The subject of the programme was not Bolton, it was multi-culturalism.

"My point is that multiculturalism is not the reason people live separately.

"There are a number of reasons why people find themselves in segregated communities. These include a wish to be near friends, family, religious centres, cultural amenities and past patterns of racially discriminatory housing allocation by local authorities.

"I certainly regret it if half a sentence has been lifted out of context to make it look as if I was launching a full frontal attack on the people of Bolton."

Mr Crausby said Ms Abbott was "moving in the right direction" by expressing regret, but said her response was not good enough.

"I don't think we'll ever get a full apology," he said. "She has not dealt with the issue. She has skirted around it and has not apologised for this false accusation.

"If she does not choose to do so then that is to her detriment not Bolton's, but I think she needs to deal with her inaccuracies.

"I don't ever remember her coming to Bolton and I think this was a throwaway remark. It's that kind of programme.

"She can't really mean what she said because it's not true and there's no evidence for it."

Mr Crausby said he was certain Ms Abbott's claims of "racially discriminatory housing allocation by local authorities" did not apply to Bolton.

Dr Iddon said: "I had a word with Diane yesterday and told her she was wrong face-to-face.

"I have now listened to what was said on the show and do not accept the remark was taken out of context.

"She owes members of the Asian community an apology because they themselves choose where to live.

"She also owes Bolton Council an apology because the council goes out of its way to help all communities get decent housing."

"From my conversation with her yesterday, in which she said she had been taken out of context, she's clearly not going to do that."

Yaseer Ahmed, of the Bolton Council of Mosques, who is a commissioner on the Commision for Racial Equality, said: "She should explain why she used the word Bolton'. I think she needs to speak to the council's housing department."