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Original poster

Diane Abbott to be banned from standing for Labour

208 replies

IwantToRetire · 28/05/2024 19:00

... Diane Abbott will not be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate in the forthcoming general election, in a move that is likely to end her 37-year career in parliament.

The MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington — the first black woman elected to parliament — has been suspended from the party since April last year and the Labour leadership has concluded that there are no circumstances in which she will stand under its banner on July 4.

An announcement of the party’s position could come as early as today. There are discussions among senior aides to Sir Keir Starmer about restoring her to the Labour whip before the election to allow her to leave politics “with dignity”.

Last week the Labour leader promised a resolution to the case before June 4, his party’s deadline for candidate selection, which falls three days before the legal close of nominations.

On Tuesday morning the BBC reported that the party’s internal investigation into a letter by Abbott to The Observer, in which she likened the discrimination suffered by Jewish people, the Irish and Travellers to the bullying of redheads, had concluded six months ago, without any update on her status as an election candidate.
Abbott, 70, is said to have been issued with a formal warning by the party and was told to complete an “antisemitism awareness course”. She did so in February, having apologised publicly and withdrawn her remarks.

Sources close to the left-wing MP told the BBC that Labour leadership was deliberately “dragging out the process in order to block her from being a candidate at the election”. It is understood that the decision to exclude her is final and will not change even in the event she issues a further apology. ...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diane-abbott-mp-labour-general-election-2024-fvgnbprdm

(If this is true, irrespective of the rights and wrongs, that Labour should use such underhand tactics is just disgusting. In other words they could have told her this in February. Can only imagine how they will behave once in Government.)

Can also be read at https://archive.ph/orgiJ

I know there have been other threads but MNHQ search is useless and even searching by google didn't bring them up, except this one which I seem to have started. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5029371-rally-of-support-for-diane-abbot-in-hackney-called-by-hackney-black-women

Diane Abbott to be banned from standing for Labour

Britain’s first black female MP likely to stand down from parliament after 30 years as party admits inquiry into her suspensions ended months ago

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diane-abbott-mp-labour-general-election-2024-fvgnbprdm

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
wellington77 · 29/05/2024 01:46

Tough, she shouldn’t have said those disgusting things then, she’s a politician she knows how the cookie crumbles, I have no sympathy for an anti- semite

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 29/05/2024 01:40

Well back to the reason for this thread (there is an existing thread for those who want to discuss her letter).

Just for those who aren't paying attention.

She apologised for the letter, and in a simiar situation a white male Labour MP got re-instated immediately (see tonight's newsnight)

She was "investigated" and told she had to take an online course on anti-semitism, which she did, and so the investigation was then formally closed.

This was at the start of the year.

Since then the Labour Party has not done anything although she was sent an email implying they had been told she wanted to stand down for health reasons.

In other words Labour is at usual, in the same way as they have done to GC women and anti Zionist Jewish people who are members of the Labour party, they are trying to make her resign.

They are giving her the cold shoulder in the same way as they have Rosie Duffield.

How anyone thinks that the Labour party is fit to Govern when all they do is stab each other in the back, lie to the public, and worse their MPs are all cowardly sheep.

So now the ultimate Labour duplicity.

Yes she has been re-instated as an MP, but will not be allowed to stand in the forthcoming election.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-diane-abbott-general-election-b2552361.html

Diane Abbott ‘to be banned from standing for Labour’ after race probe complete

Sir Keir Starmer had said a decision on whether Diane Abbott could stand as a Labour MP at the general election would be made ‘in due course’

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-diane-abbott-general-election-b2552361.html

OP posts:
mach2 · 29/05/2024 00:03

Abbott doesn't make (public) daily racist comments but she has chucked out rubbish like not wanting more blue-eyed blonde nurses in the local hospital and claiming that west Indian mothers will go to the ends of the earth for their kids (implication: other races won't) as a defence to sending her kid to selective school.

BringMeSunshineAllDayLong · 28/05/2024 23:26

Charlie2121 · 28/05/2024 22:59

Is that aside from the almost daily racist comments she makes?

Show quote history

What hyperbolic bollocks. What "almost daily" racist comments has she made. Go on give me say 49 from 2024. We're day 148 that's one every 3 days, more or less, just to give you some leeway.

TempestTost · 28/05/2024 23:22

I think that letter is emblematic of a lot of the confusion about the nature of racism, and history of race in general, that is found within identity politics. Because it works from some foolish ideas about race, it ties itself into some weird knots.

I would be happy if these ideas were discredited, but they are actually pretty common among progressives and I can't see that we could disallow anyone who believed them.

That being said, I think it might have been a good idea for DA to announce that she planned to retire. She seems to be struggling with her public role.

Myalternate · 28/05/2024 23:04

user1471453601 · 28/05/2024 22:58

@Myalternate I thought she had been reinstated. Am I , and sky news wrong?

At the 6 o’clock news she hadn’t been reinstated and Reeves and Starmer both said the decision to reinstate was up to the executive committee. Maybe the committee decided to reinstate DA following the report that she was considering standing as an Independent candidate just as Jeremy Corbin is doing.
Who knows… it’s Politics

Charlie2121 · 28/05/2024 22:59

TinyYellow · 28/05/2024 19:38

This is another reason not to trust or vote Labour. I never particularly liked Diane Abbott but she didn’t say anything wrong and the way she has been treated is appalling.

Is that aside from the almost daily racist comments she makes?

user1471453601 · 28/05/2024 22:58

@Myalternate I thought she had been reinstated. Am I , and sky news wrong?

Livelovebehappy · 28/05/2024 22:56

TinyYellow · 28/05/2024 19:38

This is another reason not to trust or vote Labour. I never particularly liked Diane Abbott but she didn’t say anything wrong and the way she has been treated is appalling.

She kind of did…..did you not see the bit where she made derogatory remarks about Jews? Which she admitted to? And tbh, Starmer hasn’t actually come out and said she won’t be allowed to stand - it’s only assumed that’s what will happen. I think Starmer is going to have his hands full trying to control Raynor’s wishes for far left policies, without Abbot joining the fold too.

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 28/05/2024 22:49

She should have been banned years ago. She's not fit to be an MP or represent Labour.

Myalternate · 28/05/2024 22:47

People in Hackney would vote for her if she stood as an Independent but that would have meant a Labour candidate was sure to lose out to her. If the Labour Party reinstate her, they’ll win the seat. I see her being accepted back any minute now…
Maybe I’m cynical 🤔

DorisDoesDoncaster · 28/05/2024 22:44

Having seen interviews with her taken recently and 20 years ago, I strongly suspect that she has lost a bit of mental capacity. Quite a lot to be fair. She sounded amazing 20 years ago, but even 5 years ago she just did not seem at all with it.

Directors of a limited company can have the power to remove a director who is suffering from a lack of mental capacity, so a political party should also have this option. They are probably trying to protect her.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 28/05/2024 22:41

I would prefer a Member with matching shoes.

changeison · 28/05/2024 22:36

shes made antisemitic comments and Labour are trying to pretend they're not really antisemitic anymore (they are)

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 28/05/2024 22:27

Had to go -
inexcusable comments she made! Being gassed in a chamber is not the same as someone laughing at your ginger hair!

BESTAUNTB · 28/05/2024 22:24

CwmYoy · 28/05/2024 19:52

She had a wonderful career for many years but I think she may be unwell.

So many gaffes and she was an embarrassment at the last election.

She should have retired gracefully.

I was thinking that she’s unwell also.

Maggiethecat · 28/05/2024 22:19

Rippledipple · 28/05/2024 21:03

The letter is undoubtedly naive. The way I read it is that she's talking about passing privilege - not necessarily a privilege of course but that's the term and I think it's the point of distinction she's trying to make. Black people are identifiable as such, there is no blending or masking therefore the prejudice is inescapable. Blending, passing, masking whatever you want to call it is a symptom of prejudice and harmful in different way - it can also provide temporary relief - an option that's not there if you're black or brown. It's all insidious but within that there are different experiences that can be acknowledged without diminishing anyone.

That’s how I’ve read it as well. I’m not sure, but I also think her comments may have been made in the context that she had been subject to racism from members of her own party as highlighted by the Forde report and it appears that no action has been taken against these members.

Her treatment has been disgraceful and has left me with a very poor opinion of Starmer.

https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/17/labour-accused-still-not-engaging-hierarchy-racism-claims

Labour accused of still not engaging with ‘hierarchy of racism’ claims | Labour | The Guardian

Author of report into party’s culture voices concern antisemitism is taken more seriously than other forms of racism

https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/17/labour-accused-still-not-engaging-hierarchy-racism-claims

BackToLurk · 28/05/2024 21:09

If only there was some sort of event in recent history that would demonstrate how Jewish and Roma people experienced wholesale, state-endorsed racism.

Rippledipple · 28/05/2024 21:03

The letter is undoubtedly naive. The way I read it is that she's talking about passing privilege - not necessarily a privilege of course but that's the term and I think it's the point of distinction she's trying to make. Black people are identifiable as such, there is no blending or masking therefore the prejudice is inescapable. Blending, passing, masking whatever you want to call it is a symptom of prejudice and harmful in different way - it can also provide temporary relief - an option that's not there if you're black or brown. It's all insidious but within that there are different experiences that can be acknowledged without diminishing anyone.

BIWI · 28/05/2024 20:23

I'll post on whatever thread I like @IwantToRetire Hmm

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 28/05/2024 20:12

BIWI · 28/05/2024 20:09

I absolutely will be voting Labour! Not really quite sure why you'd take that I wouldn't from my posts.

She deserved the investigation because her assertion that, basically, black people suffered more than Jewish people was incredibly anti-semitic. There is no hierarchy of racism.

That said, I'm glad she's had the whip restored, because I believe she's been a great MP for her constituents.

In your opinion. This thread was about the Labour process and what it indicates about them.

There is an existing thread about her letter which if you want to talk about that you could contribute to.

Also worth noting that your response to the letter is your response.

eg others dont agree with you https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/statement/diane-abbott-a-statement-from-jewish-voice-for-labour/

Diane Abbott – A statement from Jewish Voice for Labour

  The withdrawal of the whip from Diane Abbott is yet a further attack on our freedom to debate very…

https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/statement/diane-abbott-a-statement-from-jewish-voice-for-labour

OP posts:
BIWI · 28/05/2024 20:09

I absolutely will be voting Labour! Not really quite sure why you'd take that I wouldn't from my posts.

She deserved the investigation because her assertion that, basically, black people suffered more than Jewish people was incredibly anti-semitic. There is no hierarchy of racism.

That said, I'm glad she's had the whip restored, because I believe she's been a great MP for her constituents.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 28/05/2024 20:06

BIWI · 28/05/2024 19:46

She wasn't treated appallingly. The letter that she wrote to the press was absolutely dreadful.

You seem to have missed out that everyone knows about the letter, I linked to the thread about it.

However, the Labour Party is trying to make out they are competent and properly run organisation, who want to be the Government of this country.

They have a procedure they follow when MPs have complaints made against them.

What is clear is that they way in which they have conducted their enquiry, and not been open about the conclusion, is manipulative.

You and others may well think she should have been automatically expelled, but she wasn't. Therefore presumably you and others wont vote Labour.

But the fact is, if you have procedures and want to be trusted, then you need to follow them and be open about it.

It seems that not unlike other situations, the process becomes the punishment.

She apologised and agreed to attend a course(?).

And Labour didn't say okay now that you have followed our rules we will re-instate you. Or you may have done what we said you should do but we still dont want you so we aren't going to re-instate you.

What hope is there for Labour to be a competent Government if they cant even follow their own rules.

Or will it be like Boris and Covid, do what I say not what I do.

Labour are as trustworthy as a slippery snake.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 28/05/2024 20:00

BIWI · 28/05/2024 19:48

This was what she wrote:

From The Observer, 23 April 2023

Tomiwa Owolade claims that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all suffer from “racism” (“Racism in Britain is not a black and white issue. It’s far more complicated”, Comment). They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable.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. In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships.
Diane Abbott
^House of Commons, London SW1^

Edited

Thank you. So she didn't liken antisemitism to the bullying of redheads at all.
She may not be liked by Starmer and others in the party, but she was a dedicated MP for years and didn't deserve to be treated like this.