Diane Abbott tells large crowd in Hackney she WILL stand to be MP
- Diane Abbott has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987
A Labour civil war has erupted tonight as a defiant Diane Abbott vowed to stay on as the MP for Hackney North for ‘as long as it is possible’ – and accused Sir Keir Starmer‘s party of wanting to ‘exclude’ her from Parliament.
The left-wing veteran broke cover today as Labour struggled to contain a row over whether she has been blocked from standing as a candidate at the July 4 general election.
Mr Starmer is facing a mounting backlash over the treatment of Ms Abbott, 70, who has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987.
Ms Abbott was suspended from Labour’s parliamentary party for more than a year, amid a probe into her comments about Jewish people in a letter to the Observer newspaper in April 2023. But it has emerged the investigation ended months ago.
Britain’s first black female MP had the Labour whip restored yesterday, but initially appeared to confirm this morning that she had been banned from standing.
The situation descended into confusion again hours later when she posted on social media that she was ‘dismayed’ by ‘reports’ she would not be allowed to stand. Mr Starmer later told reporters that ‘no decision has been taken to bar Ms Abbott’.
But after a chaotic afternoon in politics, Ms Abbott refuted this by telling a crowd of around 200 supporters outside Hackney Town Hall tonight: ‘I was shocked to learn yesterday that I am going to be banned from running for the Labour Party.
‘I have been selected by my local party members, many of whom are here today, but the national party is insisting that I be banned.’ She said she was not given a reason for the ban, adding: ‘They just want me excluded from parliament.
Diane Abbott has warned that she ‘will not be intimidated’ as she vowed to stay on as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington for ‘as long as it is possible’
Supporters of Diane Abbott arrive at Hackney Town Hall for rally in support of her continuing as MP
Diane Abbott MP addresses a crowd of supporters on May 29
Protesters gather outside Hackney Town Hall in support of Diane Abbott
‘So I am so shocked and so alarmed about what is going on because it is as if you are not allowed to be a Labour MP unless you are prepared to repeat everything the leader says.’
The Labour veteran vowed to fight on, telling her supporters: ‘You have always stood with me, in good times and bad. And I will always stand with you. I am not going to allow myself to be intimidated. I am going to be your MP for as long as I am allowed to.’
She added: ‘I remember when I first ran as a Labour MP all the way back in 1987 people thought I couldn’t win.
‘People thought you couldn’t elect a black woman to parliament because it had never been done before. But local people went out, campaigned, knocked on doors and made me Britain’s first black woman member of parliament.
‘And I have to keep faith with that loyalty – I have to keep faith with my principles, I have to keep faith with supporting and speaking up for equalities, poor people, for the community here in Hackney.
‘So I promise you that as long as it is possible, I will be the member of parliament for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.’
MailOnline has contacted Labour for comment.
Ms Abbott’s comments will deliver a stark warning to Labour that if they do not allow her to stand, she may continue to run as an independent.
Mr Starmer has already faced this with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is running as an independent in Islington North.
After reports emerged that Ms Abbott had been blocked from standing as a Labour MP, Mr Starmer insisted that was ‘not true’, telling reporters: ‘No decision has been taken to bar Diane Abbott.
Mr Starmer is facing a mounting backlash over the treatment of Ms Abbott, 70, who has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987
Ms Abbott’s (left) comments will deliver a stark warning to Labour that if they do not allow her to stand, she may continue to run as an independent – like Jeremy Corbyn (right) has
‘The process that we were going through ended with the restoration of the whip the other day, so she’s a member of the parliamentary Labour Party and no decision has been taken barring her.’
Rishi Sunak said Labour had to be ‘transparent’ about Ms Abbott’s position. Tory chairman Richard Holden wrote to Sir Keir demanding answers about the process.
In another twist in Labour’s candidacy drama on Wednesday, MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said he has been suspended by the party over what he called a ‘vexatious and politically motivated complaint’ against him, and that he cannot stand under the Labour banner at the election.
The Times reported that Labour was also poised to suspend Faiza Shaheen, its candidate for Chingford & Woodford Green in northeast London, for allegedly liking a series of Tweets that downplayed antisemitism accusations.
Ms Abbott, Mr Russell-Moyle and Ms Shaheen are all are on the left of the party.
Mr Starmer is facing anger from even his allies at Labour’s treatment of Ms Abbott.
John McTernan, who was Tony Blair’s political secretary, said: ‘It’s not for the Labour Party to ban a woman with Diane Abbott’s record from standing for the Labour Party if that’s what she wishes to do.’
He added: ‘This kind of briefing is aimed at humiliating her and that is disgraceful, utterly disgraceful.
‘Whoever is responsible for this should hang their head in shame.’
Mr Corbyn claimed Ms Abbott had been ‘disgracefully treated’ by Labour bosses.
He told the PoliticsJoe website: ‘Diane has been disgracefully treated by the Labour Party and by, particularly, the individual national officials of the party – all of them.’
He added: ‘If she’s reinstated, good. If not she’s got a choice of her own to make. But whatever she does, I’ll support her.’
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson said: ‘Solidarity with Diane, undeniably a trailblazer & a hero of our movement.
Diane Abbott broke cover today as Labour struggles to contain a row about her being blocked from standing as a candidate at the election
Ms Abbott said she was ‘dismayed’ at suggestions she will not be able to stand as a Labour candidate
Sir Keir Starmer faced fury from Labour’s left-wing after it was earlier revealed the race row probe ended months ago
Ms Abbott recently ‘liked’ a social media post by Mr Corbyn’s wife Laura Alvarez praising his decision to stand against Labour in his Islington North constituency
Ms Abbott issued a public apology to ‘wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them’ in April last year
‘At a time when all our energy should be focussed on throwing the Tories out, this process looks nakedly factional.
‘Diane should have the whip restored now so she can stand as Labour’s candidate in the GE.’
Ms Abbott had told the BBC this morning: ‘Although the whip has been restored, I am banned from standing as a Labour candidate.’
But she later tweeted: ‘Naturally I am delighted to have the Labour Whip restored and to be a member of the PLP.
‘Thank you to all those who supported me along the way. I will be campaigning for a Labour victory.
‘But I am very dismayed that numerous reports suggest I have been barred as a candidate.’
Ms Abbott recently ‘liked’ a social media post by Mr Corbyn’s wife Laura Alvarez praising his decision to stand against Labour in his Islington North constituency.
It is unclear whether this might have been behind the decision, but endorsing anyone other than a Labour candidate in an election risks being a breach of party membership rules.
Ms Abbott issued a swift apology for her remarks in April last year, after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience ‘prejudice’ but are not ‘subject to racism’.
She was forced to sit as an independent MP in the House of Commons while a probe was launched into her remarks.
