MPs and Peers put pressure on Javid and Abbott urging for Assange to face ...

A friend of the Swedish woman – referred to as Miss A (pictured) – told the Mail: 'It really is not

A friend of the Swedish woman – referred to as Miss A (pictured) – told the Mail: 'It really is not "all about WikiLeaks"'

Labour was facing a backlash yesterday after Diane Abbott appeared to dismiss the ordeal of women allegedly sexually assaulted by Julian Assange.

Miss Abbott was accused of downplaying the serious claims against the WikiLeaks founder, who was dragged from his Ecuadorian embassy bolthole by eight policemen on Thursday.

Last night, it emerged more than 70 MPs and peers have written to Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Miss Abbott, urging them to 'champion' the possibility of Assange being extradited to Sweden – where the alleged assaults happened – if authorities there request it.

Assange had been in hiding in the embassy for seven years after skipping bail in 2012 to dodge being extradited over the allegations he raped one woman and sexually assaulted another in 2010.

But Miss Abbott and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have leapt to his defence, calling his arrest politically motivated.

The Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has been blasted as she is accused of downplaying allegations against Julian Assange

The Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has been blasted as she is accused of downplaying allegations against Julian Assange

Julian Assange arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court after being arrested and forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy earlier this week

Julian Assange arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court after being arrested and forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy earlier this week

They were yesterday accused of sacrificing justice for women, with a string of the party's own MPs condemning their stance.

In a BBC interview, Shadow Home Secretary Miss Abbott said of his arrest: 'We all know what this is about – it's not the rape charges.'

She insisted he had only been hauled out of his the Knightsbridge embassy because he had embarrassed the American military, saying: 'It's all about WikiLeaks.'

But a friend of the Swedish woman who claims Assange sexually assaulted her said last night: 'It really is not "all about WikiLeaks".'

The friend added: 'She says it is about him treating people like s***, especially women.'

Critics queued up to accuse Miss Abbott of 'ignoring allegations of sexual violence' and even a Labour shadow minister branded her intervention 'disgraceful'.

The Swedish woman's friend told the Mail that treating Assange as a political victim was 'not helping the cause – no matter how important'. She suggested Miss Abbott was helping him whitewash the claims against him, saying: 'He has, all the time, wanted to draw attention away from his own failures and has used the importance of WikiLeaks to wash his own name.'

Peers and MPs write to Javid and Abbott: 

'We are writing to request that you do everything you can to champion action that will ensure Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden in the event Sweden make an extradition request.

'This would be so the formal investigation into an allegation of rape can be concluded and, if appropriate, a charge can be made and any trial can take place.

'We do not presume guilt, of course, but we believe due process should be followed and the complainant should see justice be done.

'We urge you to stand with the victims of sexual violence and seek to ensure the case against Mr Assange can now be properly investigated.' 

Hillary Clinton last night vowed Assange 'will answer for

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