Keir Starmer caves to Diane Abbott & says she CAN stand as Labour MP in biggest U-turn yet
SIR Keir Starmer has today CAVED to Diane Abbott and let her stand for Labour in the election - marking a massive u-turn.
The wannabe PM backed down to the veteran left-winger following a a backlash at his bungled attempt to block her candidacy.
He today confirmed she was "free" to run in Hackney North for the party - just hours after saying no decision was made.
It culminates a hellish 48 hours in which splits emerged within Labour over whether to welcome back Ms Abbott, who had been under investigation for an anti-semitism scandal.
He appeared to have been bounced into the decision by his deputy Angela Rayner and Scots leader Anas Sarwar who said Ms Abbott should be allowed to stand.
The row has been overshadowing Sir Keir's election campaign with him relentlessly dogged by questions over the saga.
The Sun revealed last night that Sir Keir was on the brink of green-lighting her candidacy.
Sir Keir said today: "The whip has obviously been restored to her now and she is free to go forward as a Labour candidate."
He praised the Labour veteran as a "trailblazer", saying: "Diane Abbott was elected in 1987, the first black woman MP.
"She has carved a path for other people to come into politics and public life."
Why was Diane Abbott suspended by Labour?
By NOA HOFFMAN, Political Correspondent
DIANE Abbott lost the Labour whip in April 2023 after she suggested Jewish people don’t suffer racism.
In a bizarre letter to the Observer, the veteran left-winger compared “discrimination” against Jews to that experienced by people with ginger hair.
She said: "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.”
The comment sparked fury with many pointing to the Holocaust as evidence of why Ms Abbott’s claim was so egregious.
Former Jewish Labour MP for Barking Margaret Hodge slammed it as “deeply offensive and deeply depressing”.
Ms Abbott apologised the morning her comments were published.
She claimed an “initial draft” was sent accidentally.
But in an effort to show he’s serious about cracking down on antisemitism, Sir Keir Starmer withdrew the whip.
The Tories seized on the flip-flop to accuse Sir Keir of bending to his deputy.
A spokesman said: "Angela Rayner is pushing Keir Starmer around. Under pressure, he's showing he's a weak leader who's losing control of the Labour Party.
"That makes it even clearer that you don't know what you're going to get if Keir Starmer becomes Prime Minister – apart from higher taxes on you and your family."
Mr Sarwar broke ranks with Keir Starmer to claim the veteran left-winger deserved the chance to represent Labour a day after Angela Rayner said the same.
he Scottish Labour chief told BBC Breakfast that Ms Abbott, who had the whip restored after being suspended for antisemitism, was “a trailblazer” with “a strong history in the Labour Party”.
Asked if she should be allowed to run as a candidate, he admitted: “I agree with Angela.”
On Thursday, Labour’s deputy leader had said: “I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP”.
She appeared to bounce her boss yesterday by saying she does not “see any reason” Ms Abbott should not be the Labour candidate in Hackney North - despite an ongoing anti-Jewish racism storm.
The remarks are bound to leave Sir Keir red-faced as he campaigns with Mr Sarwar north of the border today.
It followed days of chaos that saw the Tories brand Sir Keir weak for failing to get a grip of the row that has sparked a standoff between Ms Abbott and the leadership.
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Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “If Keir Starmer can’t deal with Diane Abbott, how on Earth is he going to deal with Vladimir Putin.”
Hours earlier, Sir Keir claimed that “no decision has been taken to bar her” and was gushing about her 37 years in Parliament.
Analysis: An unforced error by Starmer he has been forced to address
By RYAN SABEY, Deputy Political Editor
THE unravelling of the Diane Abbott controversy has dogged the first full week of the election campaign.
Keir Starmer wanted to talk about his big GB Energy policy today but that has gone by the wayside with the focus on the party stalwart.
He wants to be on the front foot showing leadership during this election as he prepares for Downing Street.
It had been widely expected that she would be given the Labour whip back but she would stand down gracefully as an MP after 37 years.
But after major interventions from deputy leader Angela Rayner and Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar demanding she stand, Sir Keir has caved in to pressure.
It will lead to many voters wondering who is pulling the strings in the party.
This will be seen as an unforced error by the leadership spending days on whether she should or shouldn’t stand.
Jeremy Hunt this week said that how will Sir Keir handle Vladimir Putin on the world stage if he can’t handle dealing with the stalwart.
Diane Abbott said it was “appalling” that there was a purge of the left being carried out by the leadership.
There are clearly moves to do that - but they can’t touch Diane Abbott.
She lives to fight another day.