Hackney North and Stoke Newington

[gwynthegriff]

Setting aside any matter of principle or principles could it be an astute move politically to quietly restore the whip?

"Due process was followed, assurances have been given, blah blah"

[batman]

It's not yet impossible that she is cleared to stand as the Labour candidate in the general election in time. It could yet go either way.

[right]

May 24, 2024 11:54:38 GMT norflondon said:

I hope so, she has been treated abominable by the dishonest and authoritarian Labour leadership. Her treatment has been a kick in the face of the British black community in England, especially in London. And I know a few black British people who view the current Labour leadership as racist as a result of this.

Labour activists are far more likely than others to be so self righteous that they don't notice their own racism.  Not all Labour people by any means, but certainly a trend.

But it doesn't count in this case.  Labour has plenty of black candidates in winnable seats and front benchers like David Lammy show that talented and diligent people can go far in the Labour Party (as indeed they can in the Conservatives).

Dianne Abbott may be personally intelligent but she's very lazy.  BoJo without the quickness or charisma.  Her mis-speaking on radio interviews as a front bencher were not the result of stupidity as they looked, they were because she wasn't on top of her brief - she didn't put the hours in.

[right]

May 24, 2024 12:01:38 GMT batman said:

I get really quite irate when I see comments like that. She said that Jewish people and Roma don't face everyday racism. That's just nasty & untrue. She deserved to be suspended for that, although it is debatable whether she still should be. Her remarks would have led to her suspension whatever her own ethnicity. She was not suspended because she is Black, and you surely know that.

Does anyone remember her complaining in the 1990s about Finnish and Swedish nurses because they were taking jobs from black nurses?

[norflondon]

What she said is something that most reasonable people can see. That is, skin colour makes a difference. It should not have been treated as something horrific. It's a little controversial yes to some people, but will not be to most black people, for whom she is an iconic figure, and a spokesperson. As with a lot of things, the controversy in Labour was used a proxy for eliminating her. The lack of resolution of her case is cruel.

[right]

May 24, 2024 12:20:56 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Setting aside any matter of principle or principles could it be an astute move politically to quietly restore the whip?

"Due process was followed, assurances have been given, blah blah"

On the other hand it sends a clear signal that Labour has become sane again

[John Chanin]

May 24, 2024 12:01:38 GMT batman said:

I get really quite irate when I see comments like that. She said that Jewish people and Roma don't face everyday racism. That's just nasty & untrue. She deserved to be suspended for that, although it is debatable whether she still should be. Her remarks would have led to her suspension whatever her own ethnicity. She was not suspended because she is Black, and you surely know that.

Her position is perfectly respectable academically, but was clumsily expressed, and then subject to the usual political criticism.  That racism - related to skin colour - is not the same as discrimination against other minorities is not an unreasonable position to hold, but it needs to be clear that other groups do suffer discrimination.

It is self evident that she has been held to a higher standard than others because the Labour hierarchy wishes to dispose of her.  

[ClevelandYorks]

May 24, 2024 13:08:16 GMT John Chanin said:

Her position is perfectly respectable academically, but was clumsily expressed, and then subject to the usual political criticism.  That racism - related to skin colour - is not the same as discrimination against other minorities is not an unreasonable position to hold, but it needs to be clear that other groups do suffer discrimination.

But that’s not what she said?

[dizz]

May 24, 2024 11:42:33 GMT @weld said:

Is this code for Diane running as an independent or just supporting Corbyn in his bid?

Tough on crime. Tough on the causes of crime.

[Deleted]

Might Sem Moema now go for this seat after not getting selected for Islington North? How late in the game could Labour choose a candidate here?

[batman]

any time up to close of nominations basically.

[norflondon]

Sir Keir Starmer on r4today claimed that the decision about whether to let Abbott back into Labour has “nothing to with him”.

This is yet more shocking dishonesty from him, everyone is well aware it has everything to do with him

[andrea]

It seems the investigation in Abbott's case finished months ago. She got a formal warning in December 2023 for "engaging in conduct that was in the opinion of the NEC, prejudicial and grossly detrimental to the Labour Party" and was asked to undergo an antisemitism awareness course. She took the course in February (a 2 hours online module) but she wasn't given the whip back then.

www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8vv4ep92y8o

[michaelarden]

May 28, 2024 7:55:02 GMT andrea said:

It seems the investigation in Abbott's case finished months ago. She got a formal warning in December 2023 for "engaging in conduct that was in the opinion of the NEC, prejudicial and grossly detrimental to the Labour Party" and was asked to undergo an antisemitism awareness course. She took the course in February (a 2 hours online module) but she wasn't given the whip back then.

www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8vv4ep92y8o

It's clear it's not a disciplinary process but a witch hunt.

[graham]

A blatantly racist witch hunt. If she is not allowed to stand, I hope she publicly condemns Starmer as a racist - as evidenced by the double standards apparent from his embrace of Elphicke into the party. She should make herself available to the broadcasters every day right up to July 4th.

[Defenestrated Fipplebox]

May 28, 2024 9:41:47 GMT graham said:

A blatantly racist witch hunt. If she is not allowed to stand, I hope she publicly condemns Starmer as a racist - as evidenced by the double standards apparent from his embrace of Elphicke into the party. She should make herself available to the broadcasters every day right up to July 4th.

Starmer is less of a racist than Diane Abbott, by my definition of the term anyway.

I assume you don't believe Black people can be racist as that thought isn't on trend right now.

Diane Abbott is a politician who is either loved or hated, Labour is probably just better off having her within the tent, but for me it's a very fine call.

[norflondon]

It's an extreme way to treat someone who is a Cambridge educated, middle class woman, who was on a BBC TV programme every week for ten years.

If Lab do dispense with her I predict a black woman Cllr Antoinette Bramble will replace her. She appears to never uttered any strong or definitive views on anything fundamental (e.g race, economics,foreign affairs) but she's no doubt a good manager. She will not give Lab any bother & will dutifully follow the party line.

[norflondon]

Q why doesn't Diane Abbott have the whip back yet?

A. because Starmer and his friends have already promised the Hackney seat to someone else.

?

[Crimson King]

Am I overly cynical in assuming that the reason there has been no announcement in the months after the investegation was concluded is because the party are desperately hoping she would do or say something else that would allow them to block her candidacy, and that she has played a blinder in doing all her courses and behaving since then

[stb12]

From a forum protection point of view can be please be careful about suggesting racist motives and make sure there’s evidence of it if doing so, particularly when it references individuals ie Starmer