Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott has not been barred from standing in the General Election, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The Labour leader said no decision had been taken on whether she would be allowed to defend her seat.
Ms Abbott, who in 1987 became the first black woman elected to Parliament, said she was “very dismayed” at suggestions she would be barred from standing.
She had the Labour whip suspended in April 2023 pending an investigation after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism.
We went to Abbott's constituency to speak to residents to find out their thoughts on how their MP has been treated.
The Labour leader said no decision had been taken on whether she would be allowed to defend her seat.
Ms Abbott, who in 1987 became the first black woman elected to Parliament, said she was “very dismayed” at suggestions she would be barred from standing.
She had the Labour whip suspended in April 2023 pending an investigation after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism.
We went to Abbott's constituency to speak to residents to find out their thoughts on how their MP has been treated.
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00:00 I feel it's become a very bad distraction at an early point in the election campaign,
00:07 which they need to sort out and should have done months ago.
00:09 It sounds to me as if they've been caught on the hop a bit.
00:12 I think it's come from a lack of education and a lack of understanding of the role of
00:20 black women within society and I think they're coming from a very like red Tory perspective
00:25 on it rather than a kind of diverse left wing approach.
00:31 So if I was an Ashus I'd just let it go.
00:34 We've done 40 odd years, just let it go and just do your own thing.
00:38 They don't want their days.
00:40 It's blatantly out there man.
00:42 It's not nice.
00:43 So Mr Stammer has a lot of questions to answer for.
00:47 It's not nice.
00:48 After 40 years of service to a party and you get chucked under the bus.
00:52 Yeah I think it's a bit harsh to be fair.
00:55 I don't approve of what she did or said but she has apologised and I feel like she had
01:00 enough credit built up over her whole career that I think it is a bit harsh.
01:05 What did you think of her as an MP?
01:06 I thought she wasn't very representative of my views on Brexit but otherwise okay.
01:14 Okay so she's been our MP for 19 years.
01:17 That whole time she's been incredible.
01:19 She was like the first female black MP.
01:23 She has done everything she possibly can to deal with adversity within the Labour Party.
01:31 She came to our school and spoke about how many hate letters she gets and I definitely
01:36 think that she's been cornered as a kind of wobbly MP and I think it's really pathetic
01:43 and honestly if Diane Abbott isn't allowed to stand I will just vote Green.
01:49 Not necessarily the best but Labour so that was good enough for me really.
01:54 No she's done very well.
01:55 I've lived in Stokely for 21, 22 years.
01:58 I've had no issues.
01:59 Yeah she's done well.
02:00 So far so good.
02:01 She's done well.
02:02 She made a comment.
02:03 They investigated the outcome.
02:06 There's nothing against that but you still don't want her to stand for the party.
02:10 So it's not good.
02:11 But if I was not sure she's done 40 years just retire gracefully.
02:16 Just let it go.
02:17 Yeah you're sure they don't want you.
02:18 You're face doesn't fit or something like that.
02:19 They don't want you.
02:20 You're giving so much and they just chuck you under the bus and end up with debt.
02:23 Can you understand at all why Labour have done what they've done?
02:27 I think they are under pressure.
02:29 They're so scared of potentially, I mean I know they're confident, they think they're
02:34 going to win, they're obviously ahead in the polls but I think they are so scared of anyone
02:40 questioning them that they do have to get anybody that's like kind of slightly iffy
02:44 just out of the way and it's just ridiculous.
02:47 I mean she literally had a conservative donor saying that he would kill her and you're choosing
02:53 to remove her.
02:54 I mean I can't see how anyone can see that as positive.