By Ben Kerrigan-
Diane Abbott,(pictured) the long-serving MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has had the Labour whip restored, the PA news agency understands. This decision comes after mounting pressure on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, following reports that an investigation into her alleged racism comments had been concluded five months ago.
The Labour whip was withdrawn from Ms. Abbott in April 2023 after she made controversial comments suggesting that Jewish, Irish, and Traveller people experienced prejudice, but not racism. These remarks, made in a letter to the Observer, led to an outcry and subsequent investigation by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
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BBC Newsnight recently reported that the NEC had informed Ms. Abbott in December 2023 that the inquiry into her comments had concluded. Despite the completion of the investigation, it was only earlier this week that the Labour whip was officially restored to Ms. Abbott.
However, it remains uncertain whether Ms. Abbott will be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate in the upcoming General Election. Sir Keir Starmer declined to confirm her candidacy under the Labour banner, stating that the final decision rests with the NEC. “The process overall is obviously a little longer than the fact-finding exercise,” he said. “But in the end, this is a matter that will have to be resolved by the National Executive Committee and they’ll do that in due course.”
Reports from The Times suggest that Ms. Abbott may be barred from standing as a Labour candidate, with some indicating that the lifting of her suspension is intended to allow her to exit politics “with dignity.” This has drawn criticism from campaign group Momentum, which called such a move “outrageous.” They argued that restoring the whip only to block her candidacy would be “a slap in the face to Diane, her constituents, and the millions inspired by her example as Britain’s first black woman MP.”
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Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, under whom Ms. Abbott served as shadow home secretary, expressed his support for her. In a video message, he stated that she had been “disgracefully treated by the Labour Party” and left “in limbo.”
The NEC reportedly issued Ms. Abbott a formal warning for “engaging in conduct that was prejudicial and grossly detrimental to the Labour Party.” She was required to complete an online e-learning module, which she did in February, an action that Labour’s chief whip acknowledged.
Ms. Abbott, who has served as an independent MP since her suspension, was criticized for her response to an Observer article titled “Racism in Britain is not a black and white issue. It’s far more complicated.” In her letter, she wrote: “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. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people, and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus.” She later issued an apology, stating she wished to “wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them.”
The situation has also sparked reactions from political opponents. Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden accused Sir Keir Starmer of dishonesty. “On Friday Sir Keir Starmer said that the investigation into Diane Abbott’s conduct was ongoing and ‘not resolved’. Now it has been confirmed the Labour investigation into Diane Abbott concluded five months ago and she has already been given a formal warning.
It’s inconceivable that Starmer, the Labour leader, wasn’t told the process had finished and a warning issued. No ifs, no buts, this isn’t another flip-flop or yet another policy U-turn. Sir Keir Starmer has blatantly lied to the British people and has serious questions to answer.”
The Labour Party faces increasing scrutiny over its handling of the situation and the broader implications for its internal disciplinary processes and candidate selection ahead of the upcoming General Election.
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