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General election live: Starmer says 'not true' that Abbott barred from standing for Labour - BBC News General election live: Starmer says 'not true' that Abbott barred from standing for Labour - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
We've a bit more for you now on that exchange between Keir Starmer and a reporter in the West Midlands, during which the Labour leader denied Diane Abbott's claim that she's been barred from standing as a Labour candidate at the election. The former shadow home secretary was suspended in April 2023 after saying Jewish, Irish and Traveller people do not face racism "all their lives".
Asked to confirm whether the news is true - "yes or no" - Starmer tells the reporter "no, that's not true". After apologising and withdrawing her remarks, Labour launched an investigation.
"No decision has been taken to bar Diane Abbott," he continues. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had said the investigation into her comments was not "resolved" - but BBC Newsnight reported yesterday that it was completed in December 2023.
"The process that we were going through ended with the restoration of the whip the other day, so she's a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and no decision has been taken barring her." Hours later, it was revealed that Abbott's suspension had been lifted.
As a reminder, Abbott texted a BBC reporter earlier to say she'd been barred. She subsequently texted a BBC reporter, saying Labour had barred her from standing for the party at the general election.
Asked if the news was true, Starmer said "no decision had been taken to bar Diane Abbott".
We're still trying to contact the Labour Party to find out what's going on.
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