Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given his approval for Diane Abbott to stand as a Labour candidate in the Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency. Abbott, the first female black MP, had claimed she had been banned from standing at the upcoming general election. However, the Labour National Executive Committee has the final say on Abbott’s candidacy, but a party source indicated that the committee will not block her from standing. Momentum, the left-wing Labour group, hailed the decision as “a huge victory” for Abbott, a claim which was supported by Abbott herself.
During a rally, Abbott stated she would not comment until next week but thought the narrative looked positive, and promised to be the Hackney North and Stoke Newington Member of Parliament for as long as it was possible. The decision ended a standoff between Abbott and the Labour leadership, with Starmer avoiding making any comments about Abbott’s future within the party despite her claims to be blocked from standing as a Labour candidate.
The Labour party has been accused of carrying out a purge of left-wing candidates and placing Sir Keir’s supporters in winnable seats. Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, has denied that the party is acting in a “factional way.” Following a complaint about his behaviour, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, a former Brighton MP, was suspended from the party and replaced by Chris Ward, a former advisor to Sir Keir, as Labour’s candidate for Brighton Kemptown. Russell-Moyle claims that the Labour party is giving preferential treatment to Sir Keir’s allies.
Shama Tatler has been selected as the Labour candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green, replacing Faiza Shaheen, who was barred despite having already launched her campaign. Shaheen has said she is considering legal action over the move and has accused some within Labour of a “systematic campaign of racism, Islamophobia and bullying.” Meanwhile, the Conservatives have accused Starmer of being a weak leader, claiming that Rayner is pushing him around under pressure causing him to lose control of the Labour Party
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More