Diane Abbott will be barred from standing for Labour at the forthcoming general election, it has been reported.
The MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington, who was the first black woman to be elected to Westminster, has been suspended from the party since April 2023 after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experienced prejudice, but not racism.
Ms Abbott later said she wished to “wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them”.
It was reported on Tuesday that, despite leader Keir Starmer stating that an investigation was ongoing, it had actually concluded in December.
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It was reported by the BBC that Ms Abbott was told to complete an online antisemitism course, which she duly did in February.
According to The Times though, the Labour leadership has decided that she will not be allowed to stand for the election on July 4.
The PA News agency reported that she had the whip restored earlier in the day, though the Times report had stated there had been discussions to do so, despite the ban, to allow her to leave politics “with dignity”.
Earlier on Tuesday Mr Starmer once again refused to say whether Ms Abbott would be allowed to stand.
Asked about the investigation finishing in December, the Labour leader told broadcasters: “The process overall is obviously a little longer than the fact-finding exercise.
“But in the end, this is a matter that will have to be resolved by the National Executive Committee and they’ll do that in due course.”
A Momentum spokesman said: “This is outrageous news which confirms that the (Keir) Starmer leadership is trying to force Britain’s first black woman MP out of Parliament.
“For months, we have been told by Keir Starmer that the process is independent and it’s nothing to do with him.
“Today’s revelation confirms this is another brazen lie from Keir Starmer – the investigation was concluded months ago, Diane remains a Labour member and the whip should already have been restored as a result.
“Starmer’s conduct has already been insulting and demeaning to a woman he rightly called a ‘trailblazer’ – the first step to making amends is to restore the whip and let Diane run as the Labour candidate, as local members wish.”
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