General election – latest: Diane Abbott barred from standing for Labour as Rishi Sunak suffers fresh poll woe

Diane Abbott has confirmed that she’s been barred by Labour from standing as a candidate for Labour.

Abbott told the BBC: “Although the whip has been restored I am banned from standing.

It comes as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was suspended from the party more than a year ago after claiming the Jewish and Traveller communities are not subject to racism but rather prejudice.

She immediately apologised for the remarks.

Ms Abbott was subjected to an investigation into her comments that ended in December.

It is now unclear whether she will no stand as an independent candidate.

Wes Streeting has said Labour is committed to matching the Tories’ promise to build 40 new hospitals.

The pledge was part of 2019 Conservative manifesto and was reiterated by Boris Johnson during his legislature.

The Tories were accused of not fulfilling their promises with Mr Johnson later clarifying some hospitals have been rebuild.

Labour now promise to continue the plan, with the shadow secretary saying: “I’m sure the Tories will sling mud in the coming weeks and say we’re going to scrap the programme.

“The health secretary tried to accuse me of that just the other week. I can tell you we are absolutely committed to seeing all of those projects delivered.”

With Labour not commenting on the Diane Abbott situation, Wes Streeting has been quizzed on Sky News over her suspension.

Asked by Kay Burley for clarity, he said: ”I don’t know. I’ve been relying on the news reports this morning in terms of the decision that may have been taken.

“I’ve seen what Diane Abbott said publicly, and I’m not involved in this process.”

He is then asked what qualities Tory defector Natalie Elphicke had that Diane Abbott did not

Dodging the response, Mr Streeting replies: “Because at this general election we want to welcome millions of people who have seen the chaos and incompetence of the Conservative Party, and are looking for change with Labour.

“I think it speaks volumes that two MPs who crossed the floor to join Labour, nothing in it for them, everything in it for the country.”

He refuses to say whether he would allow Ms Abbott to stand if the decision if it was up to him.

Wes Streeting has said a Labour government wouldn’t be able to rise junior doctors wages on day one.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I want to be really upfront with junior doctors this side of the election – the 35% pay claim they’ve put in, I’m just not going to be able to afford that on day one of a Labour government.”

Instead, he claims the party would “negotiate and recognise” and blamed the national strikes on the Conservatives.

Runnymede Trust has accused the Labour party of showing double standards in the treatment of the MP for Hackney North.

The charity posted on X: “The double standards in the treatment of Diane Abbott is abhorrent. “Racism and misogynoir against Black women in the workplace is rife across society; our political class is no exception. Our utmost solidarity with Diane Abbott.”

A white Labour candidate who publicly apologised after making a racist joke privately described criticism of the incident as a “smear campaign” against him, Archie Mitchell reveals.

Darren Rodwell, whose rant was compared to a racist comedy show in the mid-1970s, said at the time his remarks were “extremely stupid and embarrassing”.

“I deeply apologise to anyone that I have offended,” he said after a clip of the 2019 remarks surfaced in October 2022.

But, just days later, an email seen by The Independent reveals he told a potential constituent that he was in fact being smeared.

At a 2019 Black History Month event, Mr Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham council, said “you might have noticed that I’ve got the worst tan possible for a Black man”.

The councillor, dressed in an African headpiece and footwear, went on to say he has “passion and the rhythm of the African and Caribbean” - pronouncing African as ‘Afrikaan’, which is thought to be a tone-deaf imitation of Black people’s speech pattern.

You can read The Independent full story here

Tory chairman Richard Holden has accused Sir Keir Starmer of lying about investigation into Diane Abbott.

It comes after reports emerged that the process concluded five months ago.

Ms Holden said” “It’s inconceivable that Starmer, the Labour leader, wasn’t told the process had finished and a warning issued.

He said: “No ifs, no buts, this isn’t another flip-flop or yet another policy U-turn. Sir Keir Starmer has blatantly lied to the British people and has serious questions to answer.”

Diane Abbott has been allowed to rejoin Labour but she has said she has been barred from standing at the next general election.

Reacting to the news, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard told BBC: “Keir Starmer’s disgraceful treatment of Diane Abbott shows total lack of judgement and underlines why it’s vital to vote SNP to ensure a strong, progressive, centre-left voice for Scotland at Westminster, hold Starmer’s government to account and put Scotland’s interests first.”

Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has grown to 27 points after the first week of the general election campaign, Archie Mitchell reports.

YouGov’s latest Great Britain poll put the Labour Party on 47 per cent of the vote, with the Conservatives on just 20 per cent.

Meanwhile Nigel Farage’s Reform UK was on 12 per cent in the poll, the Lib Dems were on 9 per cent and the Green Party was on 7 per cent.

The poll, conducted for Sky News, suggests Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a surprise summer election has not boosted the Tories’ fortunes.