[Samanfur]

Diane Abbott refused to go on antisemitism course to rejoin Labour

Diane Abbott was offered the Labour whip back but refused because she would have had to undergo antisemitism training, The Independent has been told.

An investigation into the long-serving black MP has been ongoing since her suspension last April following an article she wrote about Jewish people, with pressure mounting on the party over why it has been taking so long.

But sources from the left and right of the Labour Party have told The Independent that the investigation is dragging on in part because of Ms Abbott’s own refusal to compromise.

[Abernathy]

I’ll own to not being as au fait with the disciplinary measures available to Labour’s top brass as I might be, but I’d long since assumed that the whip was going to remain withdrawn for long enough to leave her with the choice of retirement at the next election or running for her seat as an independent, and thus automatic expulsion.

I think Starmer can just about credibly claim that the independent disciplinary process is proceeding rather too slowly, though the narrative that says Abbott is somehow being manoeuvred into essentially the same position as her former lover (JC) of not being permitted to stand again as a Labour candidate at the election is also somewhat credible. Which I think is a desirable objective, by the way - priceless porcelain vase again. In spite of her much-lauded status as the first and longest-serving black female MP, her political stance is largely incompatible with the 21st century iLabour Party that is, we still hope about to be elected to government at long last.

To be frank, I rather thought at the age of 70, she would be following the umpteen Tory MPs and colleagues like Harriet Harman in announcing that she intends to retire at the election.

I see that a large number of people have gathered at Diane’s constituency office in a “we stand with Diane” demo tonight. Corbyn is there on Abbott’s shoulder. The Trots do love a good protest.

[Youngian]

It’s regrettable Starmer’s swiftly ruthless toward MPs who step out of line but the stakes are too high to piss about. If Diane was a Tory backbencher and said what she said then it would be tomorrow’s forgotten fish and chip paper. But she’s not, the slightest chink in the party’s armour leads to the week’s news agenda dominated by Labour’s failings.

[Crabcakes]

Diane Abbott refused to go on antisemitism course to rejoin Labour

Diane Abbott was offered the Labour whip back but refused because she would have had to undergo antisemitism training, The Independent has been told.

An investigation into the long-serving black MP has been ongoing since her suspension last April following an article she wrote about Jewish people, with pressure mounting on the party over why it has been taking so long.

But sources from the left and right of the Labour Party have told The Independent that the investigation is dragging on in part because of Ms Abbott’s own refusal to compromise.

Again, the own worst enemy thing. And of course, as a loyal Corbynite it is absolutely impossible that she did anything wrong. Despite very obviously doing a wrong thing that she already apologised for (albeit with as much grace as a one-legged horse navigating an ice rink)

[davidjay]

It takes a lot to make Corbyn seem like a statesman but time and again she manages it.

[Abernathy]

I note that a few leftie Labour members, such as Shami Chakrabarti on the Daily Politics just now, are using the welcoming of Natalie Elphicke into the fold to call for the whip to be restored to Diane Abbott, though they have stopped short of calling for the same "justice" to be extended to Abbott's friend Jeremy Corbyn.

They have a point. Abbott's suspension has lasted an inordinately long time , and Kate Osamor MP, suspended for a shorter time than Abbott, had the whip restored yesterday, I understand.

But the two cases (Elphicke and Abbott) are quite different, I think, and not really comparable. I do sense that the intention is to keep Abbott suspended until the NEC can formally take the same decision it did in respect of Corbyn - that she should not be permitted to stand at the election as an official Labour Party candidate, though I think perhaps that Abbott as an official Labour candidate would be slightly less of a liability than Corbyn.

[Oboogie]

I note that a few leftie Labour members, such as Shami Chakrabarti on the Daily Politics just now, are using the welcoming of Natalie Elphicke into the fold to call for the whip to be restored to Diane Abbott, though they have stopped short of calling for the same "justice" to be extended to Abbott's friend Jeremy Corbyn.

They have a point. Abbott's suspension has lasted an inordinately long time , and Kate Osamor MP, suspended for a shorter time than Abbott, had the whip restored yesterday, I understand.

But the two cases (Elphicke and Abbott) are quite different, I think, and not really comparable. I do sense that the intention is to keep Abbott suspended until the NEC can formally take the same decision it did in respect of Corbyn - that she should not be permitted to stand at the election as an official Labour Party candidate, though I think perhaps that Abbott as an official Labour candidate would be slightly less of a liability than Corbyn.

Has Dianne Abbott agreed to undergo antisemitism training yet? My understanding is that her refusal is the reason she can't have the whip restored.

[Abernathy]

I don't know. Not been well publicised.

[davidjay]

It does look a bit churlish to keep her suspended while welcoming Elphicke.

[Oboogie]

It does look a bit churlish to keep her suspended while welcoming Elphicke.

Which Party rule(s) has Elphicke broken since she became a member?

[davidjay]

It does look a bit churlish to keep her suspended while welcoming Elphicke.

Which Party rule(s) has Elphicke broken since she became a member?

Give her a chance.

[Oboogie]

It does look a bit churlish to keep her suspended while welcoming Elphicke.

Which Party rule(s) has Elphicke broken since she became a member?

Give her a chance.

She'll need to get a shift on, it doesn't look like she's got long.

[Philip Marlow]

Of potential interest.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vv4ep92y8o

Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) wrote to Ms Abbott in December 2023 saying it had concluded its eight-month inquiry into her comments.

[Andy McDandy]

Fenton's blowing up about this, along with his collection of Sparts, Trots and Tankies. Reckons it'll derail the labour campaign. I doubt it.

I'd argue that had Abbot been publicly rehabilitated, the media response would not give a shit how many courses she'd been on, and would largely be about Labour not having changed. Every old smear would be reused, and "they've not gone away" would be the accusation.

Better to sideline her. As Fenton loves to say, she was for a time but not all time, and there she goes....OUT!

[Tubby Isaacs]

I think she and Corbyn will team up and maybe both win- electorates love the "old not voting for the main parties, maaan" stuff. I don't think it'll make too much difference to the campaign overall though.

Starmer is incredibly ruthless. If he'd have become leader in 1983, Tony Benn would have probably been stopped from getting back into Parliament. Given Benn pissed everybody about with a silly challenge for the leadership in 1988, that might have been a good idea.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I used to have high hopes for Abbott, but now I think she has got everything she deserves for her disloyalty and apologism for antisemitism.

The poisoned claw of Corbyn strikes again...

[Abernathy]

It is being reported in some quarters (The Times, LBC), that Abbott will not be permitted to stand as a Labour candidate in any circumstances. If true, this is troublesome, but I can see the logic - Abbott is a kind of distaff Corbyn, and arguably just as much of a potential liability for Labour's chances of winning the election if she stands as an official Labour candidate as Corbyn would have been, so it makes sense to treat her in the same way as Corbyn was treated. It'll cause a bit of a stink, and the media will make much of it, but what else is there to do?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

She has the whip back (Sophy Ridge)

[Youngian]

Fenton's blowing up about this, along with his collection of Sparts, Trots and Tankies.

I suspect this is what Starmer wants, loads of old lefties ranting on the news about how terrible he is. Because this contest is far from over as the undecideds graph below shows. Uncomfortable though I am to see Abbott stuck up as the prize fall guy. Especially when juxtaposed against the welcoming of ghastly fuckwit Natalie Elphicke.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

According to Sky she has had the whip restored, as noted above.
Whether or not she is on the candidates list is another matter.

Probably a net gain for the party.