Labour leader Keir Starmer says Diane Abbott is “free to go forward as a Labour candidate”, after days of speculation about her political future
Veteran left-winger Abbott claimed she had been banned from standing as a Labour candidate - something Starmer previously denied
Abbott was suspended as a Labour MP last year after saying Jewish, Irish and Traveller people do not face racism “all their lives”
If I’m reading this right, that doesn’t necessarily mean she will be the Labour candidate. As far as I know, I’m ‘free’ to be a Labour candidate but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen!
Yes, there have been a lot of carefully chosen words used. I’ll wait for further details but I wouldn’t be surprised if the plan was still to get the NEC to bar her and any other troublesome candidates from standing with only a couple of days left, so the party get to parachute in their own choice.
Great maybe now she’ll shut up and do her job for a bit. I won’t be at all surprised if the next time she starts mud slinging she finds herself with another suspension and permanent removal from the party.
