Diane Abbott has revealed that the Labour party will prevent her from standing as a candidate in the upcoming general election, despite having her party whip restored. This decision has sparked backlash against Sir Keir Starmer, with accusations of dishonesty and humiliation being leveled against the Labour leader. Meanwhile, Labour’s lead over the Tories has expanded to 27 points in the latest polling data, indicating a significant advantage for the party as the election campaign progresses.
General election 2024: Diane Abbott barred from standing for Labour as Rishi Sunak suffers fresh poll woe
Related: Starmer responds to Jeremy Corbyn standing as an independent candidate
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Diane Abbott has said that the Labour party will ban her from standing as a candidate at the upcoming general election.
The MP for Hackney North had the party whip restored on Tuesday after she was suspended last April over a letter she wrote in The Observer suggesting Jewish people are not subjected to the same racism as some other minorities.
Sir Keir Starmer is now facing backlash over his treatment of her with one of her friends Jacqueline McKenzie demanding to know whether the Labour leader has been dishonest.
Another person close to Ms Abbott said the veteran MP was offered to “stand down with dignity” but former Tony Blair’s aide John McTernan claimed the process was “designed to humiliate her”.
It comes as Labour’s lead over the Tories has grown to 27 points after the first week of the general election campaign.
The Conservatives are struggling to narrow the gap with just 20 per cent of the support, according to YouGov’s latest Great Britain poll.
Key Points
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Breaking: Diane Abbott barred from standing at the general election
Diane Abbott has confirmed that she’s been barred by Labour from standing as a candidate for Labour.
Abbott told the BBC: “Although the whip has been restored I am banned from standing.
It comes as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was suspended from the party more than a year ago after claiming the Jewish and Traveller communities are not subject to racism but rather prejudice.
She immediately apologised for the remarks.
Ms Abbott was subjected to an investigation into her comments that ended in December.
It is now unclear whether she will no stand as an independent candidate.
(PA)
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 07:39
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Labour lead over Conservatives grows to 27 points
Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has grown to 27 points after the first week of the general election campaign, Archie Mitchell reports.
YouGov’s latest Great Britain poll put the Labour Party on 47 per cent of the vote, with the Conservatives on just 20 per cent.
Meanwhile Nigel Farage’s Reform UK was on 12 per cent in the poll, the Lib Dems were on 9 per cent and the Green Party was on 7 per cent.
The poll, conducted for Sky News, suggests Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a surprise summer election has not boosted the Tories’ fortunes.
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:55
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Labour vows to prioritise cutting NHS waiting lists
If it wins the election, the party has vowed to focus of reducing treatment backlogs, which currently stand at 7.45 million.
Sir Keir Starmer is promising voters to create more 40,000 appointments, scans and operations each week.
He also said a Labour government would double the numbers of scanners to help with early diagnosis.
Sir Keir said: “Putting the NHS back in its feet and making fit for the future is personal for me.
“It runs through my family like a stick of rock, which is why one of my five missions is to turn it around after 14 years of Conservative decline.
“The first step of my Labour government will be to cut NHS waiting lists, clearing the Tory backlog.”
(Getty Images)
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:48
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Tory minister’s blunt response when asked to apologise to Angela Rayner over council house investigation
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:40
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Tory minister says party does not owe Rayner an apology
Greater Manchester Police confirmed yesterday they will take no further action against Labour Deputy leader Angela Rayner.
It comes after Conservative party deputy chair James Daly made accusations surrounding her living arrangements.
Tory minster Damian Hinds has now said the party doesn’t owe the Labour MP an apology, saying: “This all could have been cleared up a great deal earlier had Sir Keir Starmer simply read Angela’s tax advice and it had been published.
“That’s what all the unclarity, all the uncertainty was about.”
(PA Archive)
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:31
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Conservatives vow to scrap ‘rip-off’ degrees
Tories pledge to expand apprenticeships by scrapping low performing university courses.
The party has promised to bring 100,000 new apprenticeships each year if elected.
Minister for schools Damian Hinds said: “For some, that will be university and for some it will be apprenticeship. And in both cases, we want to make sure the quality is really high.
“So the apprenticeships that you have now are significantly upgraded compared to what we’ve had in the past,” he said, arguing that there is “the opportunity now to grow that very significantly”.
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:28
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Abbott ally says the veteran MP was offered to ‘stand down with dignity’
A person close to Abbott told Playbook that the veteran MP had offered to “stand down with dignity” after having had the whip restored.
They added that she was completely blindsided by the reports on Tuesday saying she was barred, adding: “These schoolboys in the party are obviously not happy about it and are briefing against her,” the person said.
“They couldn’t even let her have her moment. It’s unkind and unfair.”
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:23
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Former Labour aide accuses Keir Starmer of humiliating Diane Abbott
Tony Blair’s former director of political operations John McTernan told Times Radio that the investigation into her allegations was “designed to humiliate” the MP.
He added: “Whoever is responsible for this should hang their head in shame.”
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:21
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First TV debate scheduled for June 4
The first election face off between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will reportedly take place next Tuesday.
ITV will host the televised debate with both political leaders exactly a month before the general election.
(PA)
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:08
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Labour shadow minister unaware of Abbott election ban
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was live on BBC Breakfast when Diane Abbott confirmed she has been barred from standing as a Labour MP.
Asked about the news, he said: “I’m hearing this for the first time,” and added that he is glad that she had her whip restored.
But Ms Streeting admitted he is not up to speed with the latest decisions around her status in the party.
Salma Ouaguira29 May 2024 08:02
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-2024-sunak-starmer-diane-abbott-news-b2552959.html