Suspended Labour MP Diane Abbott has been told whether her future belongs in the Labour Party or as an independent ahead of the general election on July 4th.
Diane Abbott’s Future Decided
The future of suspended Labour MP Diane Abbott has been decided by the Labour Party after she was shut out from the Party.
Anti-Semitic Culture
Diane Abbott had the whip suspended after she was part of an anti-semitic culture within the Labour Party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
Placed Under Investigation
Jeremy Corbyn was suspended and placed under investigation along with Abbott, replaced by current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in 2020.
Questions on Future of the Party
With the general election being called for July 4th, many questions were being pressed to the Labour Party on whether Abbott or Corbyn would be allowed to run.
Abbott Has Labour Whip Returned
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer decided to return the whip to Abbott, meaning she’s no longer suspended, but whether she’ll run is still undecided.
Process Still Unfinished
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced that Abbott would have the whip returned, although admitted, “The process overall is obviously a little longer than the fact-finding exercise.”
National Executive Committee Still to Decide
Starmer insisted, “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.”
Abbott Won’t Be Runnin Independent
This means that Abbott won’t have to run as an independent in the general election, as former leader Jeremy Corbyn will.
Corbyn’s Election Campaign
Corbyn was recently told that he would not be having the whip returned to him, so he will now stand as an independent for his constituency of Islington North.
Responding to Racism Comments
Abbott was suspended for responding to a newspaper column that suggested racism comes in many forms other than discrimination towards black people.
Racism Not “Black And White”
The comment posted in an article in The Observer read “Racism in Britain is not a black and white issue. It’s far more complicated.”
Comparing Racism
Abbott responded to the comment arguing that racism towards black people was much worse than discrimination against the Jewish community.
Abbott Gets Whip Removed
“In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus,” Abbott claimed, getting her suspended from the Labour Party.
The Controversial Redhead Comparison
Abbott also implied that the plight of “redheads” was similar to the discrimination received by Jewish people.
Abbott’s Suspension-Worthy Claims
“It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice,” Abbott insisted in the response to the column.
A Long Wait
Abbott has since apologised for her comments although was not immediately reinstated after her apology.
Apologising for Anti-Semitic Comments
Abbott claimed that she wanted to “wholly and unreservedly withdraw” her remarks and “disassociate” herself from them.
Criticising Sir Keir
Despite this apology, Abbott was not welcomed back into the Party with open arms, recently criticising Starmer for alleged double standards.
Welcoming Natalie Elphicke
Starmer was criticised by Abbott and fellow Labour MPs for welcoming former Tory MP Natalie Elphicke into the Party despite her troublesome past supporting her husband in a domestic violence case.
Abbott’s Future With Labour
Abbott’s future now seems to be with the Labour Party, although the country waits to see whether she will run on July 4th.
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