STEERING KEIR
Huge row erupts as Keir Starmer suggests Diane Abbott’s Labour suspension has ‘nothing to do with him’
His comments come as Abbott's close ally Jeremy Corbyn announced he will stand as an independent MP in the election
DIANE Abbott has triggered a major row with Sir Keir Starmer over standing as Labour candidate at the election.
The independent MP was suspended from the Parliamentary party a year ago after suggesting Jewish people face prejudice - but not racism - similar to “redheads”.
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But the party leader today said the decision on letting her stand will be dealt with within days by the party’s ruling committee.
Sir Keir said: “The final decisions on candidates is coming up in a few days’ time, I think June 4, it may be a little earlier, a little later, I can’t quite remember.
“But within a relatively short period of time the final list of candidates will be decided, and that will be a matter for the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee.”
But his comments were seized up on by Ms Abbott who says Sir Keir is part of the process to allow her to stand again for the party.
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In key developments:
- Rishi Sunak said he was "disappointed" his smoking ban would not be made law before the election
- Proposed caps on ground rents were also ruled out as the final Bills were pushed through before the Commons shuts
- Sir Keir said Labour's tax whack on private schools would start "straight away"
- The Labour leader was dragged into a growing row over ducking TV election debates
- He also opened the door to a possible coalition deal with the Lib Dems
- He refused to say that veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott would be admitted back into the party in time for the election
- Jeremy Corbyn confirmed he would stand against Labour as an independent in his Islington seat
- "Bionic MP" Craig Mackinlay became the latest Tory to say they were standing down
His comments come as her close ally Jeremy Corbyn was kicked out of the party and it emerged he will stand as an independent MP in the election.
She wrote on X: “Just heard Keir Starmer on BBC Radio 4 claiming that the decision about whether to let @HackneyAbbott back into @UKLabour has 'nothing to with him'. It has EVERYTHING to do with him.”
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After her initial comments, for which she apologised, opponents slammed her letter to the Observer newspaper.
Diane Abbott’s comments
2008: Diana Abbott told the BBC’s This Week show with Andrew Neil some people “would judge that on balance Mao did more good than harm”.
She added: “We can’t say that about the Nazis.”
2010: Ms Abbott, who represents Hackney North and Stoke Newington in London, tried to justify sending her son to a private school by saying: “West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children”.
2012: She sparked outrage among taxi drivers after she suggested they were racist.
She wrote on Twitter: “Dubious of black people claiming they’ve never experienced racism. Ever tried hailing a taxi I always wonder?”
2017: Her car-crash interview on LBC about Labour’s plan for an additional 10,000 police officers is remembered as one of the most excruciating ones.
At one point, Ms Abbott said the policy would cost £300,000 - the equivalent of £30 per police officer.
2017: She wrongly said 16-year-olds can fight for their country and therefore should be able to vote.
2017: She failed four times on the Andrew Marr Show to say she regretted supporting the IRA in the past, adding: “It was 34 years ago, I had a rather splendid afro at the time. I don't have the same hairstyle and I don't have the same views.”
2018: She sparked fury among the Met Police after criticising their tactic of knocking moped muggers off their vehicles.
She tweeted: “Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn't be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law.”
2019: The Labour MP apologised after she caught drinking a canned £2 M&S mojito on the London Overground.
Labour is still holding an investigation into the matter.
Grant Shapps, who is now Defence Secretary said: “Once again, Jewish people have to wake up and see a Labour MP casually spouting hateful anti-semitism.”
In the letter, Ms Abbott wrote: "[writer] Tomiwa Owolade claims that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all suffer from 'racism'... They undoubtedly experience prejudice.
Diane Abbott SUSPENDED from Labour after claiming Jewish people haven’t suffered ‘racism’
“This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable.
“It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism.”
Labour’s position has come under increased scrutiny because of Sir Keir’s decision to admit Natalie Elphicke into the party.
It came despite her support for Brexit and accusations over her role in lobbying ministers over her then-husband Charlie’s sexual assault case.
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