Diane Abbott urged to resign after missing crunch Brexit bill vote after she was taken ill – but TWO cancer-hit colleagues made it there
Labour MP John Mann branded her a “coward” and called for her resignation
UNWELL Diane Abbott skipped the crunch Brexit vote while two cancer-hit colleagues were helped through Parliament to have their historic say, The Sun can reveal.
Furious Labour MPs let rip at Jeremy Corbyn’s close ally after she pulled out of Wednesday’s vote with a migraine.
Labour MP John Mann branded her a “coward” and called for her resignation.
He said: “We have some very, very ill people who have turned up to parliament to vote yesterday who are so sick they’ve not been able to carry on their work as MPs.
“She gave herself a sick note at 5 o’clock. I think we all know what is going on here. She bottled the vote. It’s cowardice.
Mr Mann added: “Others have the integrity to resign from the shadow cabinet “If she had been rushed to hospital, then of course that’s perfectly rational and reasonable.
“But I think she should apologise to the party for her actions and she should resign”.
Irate Labour MPs revealed two seriously ill colleagues Grahame Morris, who is receiving treatment for lymphatic cancer and Ronnie Campbell, recovering from a major operation for stomach cancer, both managed to travel into Westminster for the Commons vote.
Mr Campbell, who represents Blyth Valley in Northumberland, had been signed off parliamentary duties late last year to enable him to recover.
He told The Sun he had travelled down and back up to his constituency late on Wednesday night in order to vote.
He added: “I had a big operation just after New Year, I am getting over it and came back to work this week. I saw Diane Abbott in the tearoom before the vote - I held the door open for her.”
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Sceptical colleagues also pointed to photographs showing Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary drinking in a Westminster watering hole the evening before the vote.
Hours before the historic vote she gave a lengthy speech in Parliament.
Defending Ms Abbott, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell claimed she’d have made it if the vote was in the balance.
He insisted yesterday: “If there was a close vote we’d be bringing even sick people back.”
Ms Abbott represents Hackney, which voted 65 per cent to Remain in last year’s referendum.
It came as the party was plunged into fresh chaos when Mr McDonnell revealed 13 frontbench rebels who opposed the party over the Brexit Bill could escape the sack.
And he signalled that all 229 Labour MPs could even abstain in next week’s final Commons vote next week in a bid to keep the team together.
The 13 who defied Jeremy Corbyn included Shadow Foreign Office Minister Katherine West and Stephen Pound - who shouted ‘suicide’ as the votes were revealed.
Three Labour whips also defied their leader’s orders.
But Mr McDonnell said they could all escape sanction despite rebelling over one of the most historic pieces of legislation ever to go before the Commons.
One furious Labour MP said: “If you break the whip you resign or you’re sacked. As usual Jeremy is making up the rules as he goes along.”
Mr McDonnell said the ultimate decision would be in hands of chief whip Nick Brown and would be settled in due course.
But Labour colleagues were most angry at Mrs Abbott’s “quite extraordinary” absence.
Another senior Labour MP said: “Our sick list was there: several Labour MPs who have made no secret of being seriously unwell for many months made the extra effort to come.”
Last night Mrs Abbott’s office said she had been signed off sick for the rest of the week.
Her spokesman said they “expect her to be back in on Monday at the latest.”