Diane Abbott has confirmed she has been banned from standing as a Labour MP at the next election, bringing to an end a near 40-year career as one of the party’s highest-profile politicians.
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington issued a statement to broadcasters on Wednesday morning confirming she had been handed back the Labour whip after a months-long investigation into her conduct, but would not be allowed to stand again as a Labour candidate.
The decision leaves Abbott, the first black woman to be elected to the British parliament, facing a decision whether to run as an independent against the party she has represented since 1987 or to end her long parliamentary career.
According to Sky and the BBC, Abbott said: “Although the whip has been restored, I am banned for standing as a Labour candidate.”
Her comments cap a chaotic 24 hours during which reports suggested she was about to be banned from standing as a Labour candidate, only for her allies to say she had not been informed of any such decision.
Abbott was suspended from the party last year after writing a letter to the Observer that appeared to play down racism against Jewish people. She argued that minority groups such as Jewish people, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people faced similar levels of prejudice to people with red hair.
Abbott apologised for her remarks, but was placed under investigation and lost the Labour whip.
Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said this week the investigation was ongoing. But it emerged on Tuesday it had concluded in December, with Abbott being told to complete an online antisemitism training course in February.
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Jacqueline McKenzie, a lawyer at Leigh Day and a friend of Abbott, told the BBC on Wednesday: “Diane’s really shocked … because this investigation has gone on 13 months. I think those around her were quite surprised yesterday to learn that the investigation had concluded in December.”
