Diane Abbott Alleges Labour Party Purge of Left-Wing Members Amid Uncertain Future
Ms. Abbott, who made controversial remarks questioning whether Jewish people face racism throughout their lives, is awaiting confirmation on whether she can run as a Labour candidate on July 4.
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has accused the Labour Party of purging left-wing candidates and MPs ahead of the general election.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle, an MP for Brighton Kemptown, has been suspended by the party following what he referred to as a “vexatious and politically motivated complaint,” which means he will not be the Labour candidate on July 4.
Faiza Shaheen, another left-leaning candidate who previously ran in Chingford and Woodford Green, has been informed that she will not be contesting Iain Duncan Smith for the seat this time around.
In response to these developments, Ms. Abbott expressed her dismay online, questioning the rationale behind targeting left-wingers in the party.
The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is set to meet on June 4 to determine if Ms. Abbott can run as a Labour candidate in the upcoming election.
Ms. Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament in 1987, was suspended as a Labour MP in April 2023 after making controversial remarks suggesting that Jewish people do not face racism throughout their lives.
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Abbott, who previously served in the shadow Cabinet under Mr. Corbyn, wrote a letter to The Observer newspaper in April 2023 in response to a comment suggesting that Irish, Jewish, and Traveller people all experience racism in the UK.
In her letter, she stated, “It is true that many types of white people with specific traits, such as redheads, can face prejudice.”
She added, “However, they do not experience racism throughout their lives. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people, and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus.”
PA Media contributed to this report.
