Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has expressed her support for Diane Abbott to stand as a Labour candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in the upcoming general election, defying her own party and Sir Keir Starmer’s alleged left-wing purge. Rayner praised Abbott as a trailblazer and criticized negative briefings about the veteran MP, stating that she sees no reason why Abbott cannot stand as a Labour MP moving forward. This support comes as candidate Faiza Shaheen was barred from the election after allegedly liking posts that downplayed antisemitism accusations, leading to accusations of a wider purge of the left within the Labour Party.
General election live news: Angela Rayner backs Diane Abbott as Faiza Shaheen accuses Labour of having ‘race problem’
Keir Starmer denies Labour ‘left-wing cull’ after Faiza Shaheen blocked from election
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox
Get our free View from Westminster email
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner says she backs Diane Abbott to stand as a Labour candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington at the general election.
Defying her own party, Sir Keir Starmer’s right hand said: “I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP going forward. I am saying that as the deputy leader of the Labour Party.”
Ms Rayner has praised Abbott and said she has been a trailblazer and that she is “not happy” about negative briefings to the papers about the veteran MP.
Her support comes as Sir Keir is being accused of carrying a wider purge of the left – something even Tony Blair did not do – with candidate Faiza Shaheen finding out last night she was barred.
According to reports, she was suspended by the party after she allegedly liked a series of posts on X that downplayed antisemitism accusations.
In a new headache for Starmer, the MP for the Chingford and Woodford Green said she will challenge the decision and accused the party of unleashing a “campaign of prejudice” against her to satisfy a “factional agenda”.
Key Points
Show latest update 1717072384
Breaking: Angela Rayner defies party and defends Diane Abbott
The Labour deputy leader says she is backing Ms Abbott as a candidate for Hackney North at the election.
She said: “I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP going forward… I am saying that as the deputy leader of the Labour Party”.
Ms Rayner added that Abbott has been a trailblazer and she is “not happy” about negative briefings to the papers about her. “I don’t think that is how we should conduct ourselves.”
She previously said she wanted to see the veteran MP back to the Labour Party after she was suspended fro 11 months.
Ms Rayner said she was frustrated over the length of the party investigation over her letter on The Observer.
(Getty)
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 13:33
1717083076
Sunak declines to make concrete pledge on reducing overall tax burden
Rishi Sunak has declined to make a concrete pledge on reducing the overall tax burden.
The Prime Minister was asked to name a target when speaking to broadcasters during a campaign visit to Niftylift, a cherry picker manufacturer near Milton Keynes.
The Prime Minister said: “We’re very clear, both the Chancellor and I, that we want to keep cutting taxes on working people and that is the choice at this election.
“I believe people’s hard work should be rewarded. And after a difficult few years, we’re now in a position to cut people’s taxes.”
He added that “we want to do more when we can responsibly do so”.
He accused Labour of planning “£2,000 worth of tax rises because they’ve made all these spending commitments they haven’t got the money to pay for” and challenged Sir Keir Starmer “to say which taxes are going to go up” under a Labour government.
Mr Sunak said the Tories’ promised tax cut for pensioners “hasn’t been matched by the Labour Party”, so “there is a retirement tax coming”.
Tara Cobham30 May 2024 16:31
1717083002
Farage and Tice declare war on barber shops
Reform UK has taken an aim at barber shops during its campaign event in London.
Richard Tice has told a laughing audience that the establishments are a hub of “money laundering and drug money”.
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 16:30
1717080971
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:56
1717080499
‘I won’t force premature net zero measures’, Sunak vows
Speaking to voters at the Niftylift factory, he is asked what will he do to achieve net zero if elected.
The PM says: “Of course I believe in climate change, I want to get to net zero,” he said.
“The questions is how do we get there. We need to be more serious. I want to prioritise our countries energy security…we are better off getting it here at home.
“I also want to prioritise your bills. What I don’t want to do is force you prematurely to rip out your boiler, change your car. We don’t need to do them right now.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak takes part in a Q&A with members of staff during a visit to Niftylift in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:48
1717080165
Rishi Sunak grilled over partygate
Taking questions from the audience, the prime minister was asked over trust following the party gate scandal during the pandemic.
An audience member asks: “My mum died in 2020 at the high of the pandemic. You probably remember the time where the parties were going down on Downing Street. You attended a gathering where you got a fixed penalty notice.
“How can anyone trust you or your party after things like this?”
Mr Sunak apologises, saying: “I am really sorry that you lost your mum. I can’t imagine what it must have been I am sorry for what it was going on in Downing Street.
“As you know, I was working on things to help you and your business and many other families like that… hopefully some of you here benefited from some of the support that we put in place.”
The then prime minister Boris Johnson (left), with then chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak, at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which was released with the publication of Sue’s Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown (Cabinet Office/PA)
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:42
1717079736
Rishi Sunak is speaking from Buckinghamshire
The prime minister has launched his campaign event in Milton Keynes.
Mr Sunak is giving a speech similar to the one he gave yesterday in Devon.
He says the “penny is dropping” across Europe and that his Rwanda scheme would reduce immigration numbers.
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:35
1717079417
Businesses battered by Brexit urge Labour and Tories to slash EU tariffs
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:30
1717078852
Rishi Sunak attacks Labour’s pledges
The prime minsister took to social media to ask: “Does anyone actually know what Labour would do if they got into power?”
It comes as Jeremy Hunt published a 24-page dossier outlining Labour’s policies in detail which the Tories said include costs of their promises.
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:20
1717078252
Watch: Nigel Farage refuses to back down over British Muslim comments in clash with Robert Peston
Farage refuses to back down over British Muslim comments in clash with Robert Peston
Nigel Farage defended his comments claiming young Muslims “do not subscribe to British values” in a heated clash during a live interview with Robert Peston. The former Ukip leader, who claimed there are British Muslims who “loathe” much of what the country stands for, was accused of alienating them by the ITV political journalist on Wednesday (29 May). Mr Peston suggested during the clash: “What we should be doing is building bridges between communities, not alienating them.” “So ignoring it – brush it under the carpet,” Mr Farage replied.
Salma Ouaguira30 May 2024 15:10
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-diane-abbott-starmer-labour-shaheen-rayner-b2553841.html