Diane Abbott, the UK’s first black female MP, announced on Wednesday that the Labour Party has barred her from running in the upcoming general election. Abbott, who has represented a northeast London constituency since 1987, was suspended last April for controversial remarks about Irish, Jewish, and Traveller communities, which she later retracted and apologized for.
Despite her apology, Labour launched an investigation into her comments, the results of which remain undisclosed. Abbott, 70, was readmitted to Labour’s parliamentary ranks this week but was informed she could not stand as a Labour candidate in the July 4 election.
“The whip has been restored, but I am banned from standing as a Labour candidate,” Abbott told the BBC. This revelation threatens to distract from Labour’s campaign, as the party is poised to reclaim power for the first time in 14 years.
Internal party divisions
Abbott’s situation highlights ongoing factional splits within Labour, particularly among left-wing supporters critical of the party’s centrist direction under leader Keir Starmer. Abbott, a prominent figure in Labour, is a close ally of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, who appointed her as home affairs spokesperson during his leadership from 2015 to 2020.
Corbyn himself was suspended in 2020 after challenging the findings of an anti-Semitism investigation within Labour during his tenure. He has since served as an independent MP and recently announced his candidacy as an independent in the upcoming election. Abbott has yet to declare if she will follow suit.
Starmer’s position
Starmer, under pressure to clarify Abbott’s status, has stated that the disciplinary process is independent and that Labour’s executive board will decide her candidacy. The board is set to finalize the candidate list next week. “This is a matter for the National Executive Committee, and they’ll resolve it in due course,” Starmer said on Tuesday.
As Abbott’s comments draw further attention, Starmer is expected to face more inquiries about the matter during his campaign efforts on Wednesday.