Diane Abbott has Labour whip restored after investigation

Diane Abbott has not been barred from standing as a Labour candidate, Sir Keir Starmer has said after she claimed she would be.

The first black woman to be elected to parliament, Ms Abbott was suspended from the party last year after writing a letter in The Guardian suggesting Jewish people do not face racism, and that instead they suffer prejudice similar to “redheads”.

She apologised shortly after it was published, but had remained sitting as an independent MP for more than a year while the party’s national executive committee carried out its investigation.

On Tuesday evening, Sky News learnt she had had the Labour whip returned to her, paving the way for the veteran MP to run for Labour again in her Hackney North constituency, should she wish to stand in July’s election.

However, there were reports she had been banned from standing and she said she was “dismayed” to hear this and believed them to be true.

But, on Wednesday afternoon Sir Keir cleared up the confusion and said she was not barred from standing for Labour.

‘No decision has been taken to bar her’

“The whip has been restored to Diane Abbott, as you know,” he said.

“So she is a member of the parliamentary Labour Party.

“No decision has been taken to bar her going forward.”

Ms Abbott has not confirmed if she will stand to defend her seat.

Her close friend and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was suspended then banned from standing for Labour over an antisemitism row, is standing as an independent in neighbouring Islington North.

Senior Labour politician Jess Phillips told Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast: “I mean, personally and politically, I think that they should probably just let Diane run in Hackney, it should be for her to decide.

“I just think it’s a fight not worth having at this stage and not ever even anything to do with the merits of the particular case is that, you know, all the things remain true, that Diane Abbott was the first black woman ever elected. She has served that constituency.”

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Ms Abbott has been a Labour MP since 1987 when she made history by becoming the first black woman to sit on the Commons’ benches.

A stalwart on the left of the party, as well as being a close ally of Mr Corbyn, she also served as his shadow home secretary during his tenure.

Her initial suspension was welcomed last April by a range of MPs from across the House and by groups representing the Jewish community.

But as the length of the investigation into her conduct grew, questions were also raised about the motivations of the current leadership and whether she would be allowed back into the party’s ranks.

Speculation grew further after a report in The Guardian exposed remarks that had been made about her by one of the Conservatives’ largest donors Frank Hester, saying Ms Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.

Many from the Labour movement called for her to have the whip reinstated at this time, but while party leader Sir Keir Starmer was seen offering her support in the chamber, he repeatedly said the investigation needed to be concluded.

Reports were swirling earlier on Tuesday that Ms Abbott might be ejected from the party entirely, along with claims the investigation had been wrapped up months ago.

And there were suggestions she could even join her friend and ally Mr Corbyn on the outside and run as an independent for the general election on 4 July.

But shortly before 7pm on Tuesday, Sky News discovered she had been reinstated.

Sir Keir was asked by reporters about her case when he was on the campaign trail in Hertfordshire on Tuesday but gave little away, saying: “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.”

However, Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden said it was “inconceivable” Sir Keir wasn’t told the process had finished.

“No ifs, no buts,” said Mr Holden. “This isn’t another flip-flop or yet another policy U-turn. Sir Keir Starmer has blatantly lied to the British people and has serious questions to answer.”

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