Diane Abbott confirmed today that she can no longer be active as Work candidate despite the whip being restored.
The experienced left winger, who has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, spoke out to clarify the situation as Keir Starmer faces a major backlash.
Ms Abbott was suspended from the Labor parliamentary party for more than a year an investigation into her comments about Jewish people in a letter to the Observer newspaper last April.
However, it has emerged that the investigation into the racing ended months ago.
Ms Abbott was believed to have regained the Labor whip yesterday, but confusion remained over whether she would stand as the party's candidate in the general election.
It would be enough not to be endorsed as a candidate by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee ends Ms Abbott's 37-year stint as an MP.
Ms Abbott told the BBC this morning: 'Although the whip has been reinstated, I am no longer allowed to stand as a Labor candidate.'
Adding to the sense of chaos, a Labor source questioned whether Ms Abbott was in fact banned. She stressed that the NEC will only finalize the approval of the candidates on Tuesday.
Ms Abbott recently 'liked' a social media post from Corbyn's wife Laura Alvarez, praising his decision to stand against Labor in his Islington North constituency.
It is unclear whether this may have been the cause of the decision, but supporting anyone other than a Labor candidate in an election risks a breach of party membership rules.
Diane Abbott has had the Labor whip reinstated but was blocked as the party's candidate in the general election
Sir Keir Starmer faced anger from Labor's left wing after it was previously revealed the racing inquiry was ended months ago
Ms Abbott recently 'liked' a social media post from Corbyn's wife, Laura Alvarez, praising his decision to stand against Labor in his Islington North constituency.
Sir Keir is facing the anger of even his allies over Labour's treatment of Ms Abbott, the first female black MP in the House of Commons.
John McTernan, Tony Blair's political secretary, said: “It is not for the Labor Party to ban a woman of Diane Abbott's reputation from standing for the Labor Party if she wants to.”
He added: 'This type of briefing is designed to humiliate her and that is disgraceful, completely disgraceful.
“Whoever is responsible for this should be ashamed.”
Former Labor leader Jeremy Corbynwho was himself banned for standing for the party at the general election and is now standing as an independent candidate, claimed Ms Abbott had been 'disgracefully treated' by Labor bosses.
Corbyn told the website PoliticsJoe: 'Diane has been treated disgracefully by the Labor Party and by, in particular, the party's individual national officials – all of them.'
He added: “If she gets reinstated, good. If not, she has to make her own choice. But whatever she does, I will support her.”
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson said: “Solidarity with Diane, undeniably a pioneer and hero of our movement.
'At a time when all our energy should be focused on throwing out the Tories, this process seems downright factional.
“Diane should have the whip reinstated now so she can stand as a Labor candidate in the GE.”
Senior aides to Sir Keir are said to have previously discussed handing the Labor whip back to Ms Abbott before the election if she does not stand as a candidate for the party so she can leave politics 'with dignity'.
The possibility of Ms Abbott not standing for Labor at the general election has sparked a new war between Sir Keir's team and the party's left wing.
It also came amid a row over claims Sir Keir is lining up key allies for a series of safe seats after six current Labor MPs announced their retirement at the last minute.
A spokesperson for the Momentum group said: 'It would be outrageous to reinstate the whip just to block Diane.
'After a farcical factional trial, she had the whip reinstated. Her local party re-elected her unanimously. That should be the end of the matter.
“Anything less is a slap in the face to Diane, her constituents and the millions inspired by her example as Britain's first black female MP.”
Ms Abbott, who has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, has been suspended from the party since April last year.
Ms Abbott issued a public apology in April last year to 'fully and unreservedly withdraw my comments and to distance myself from them'
Former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was himself banned for standing for the party in the general election, claimed Ms Abbott had been 'disgracefully treated' by Labor bosses
Ms Abbott quickly apologized for her comments in April last year after suggesting that Jewish, Irish and Traveler people experience “prejudice” but are not “subject to racism”.
She was forced to sit in the House of Commons as an independent MP while an investigation into her comments was launched.
The BBC reported that Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) wrote to Ms Abbott in December 2023 saying it had completed its eight-month investigation.
It gave her a 'formal warning' for 'engaging in conduct which, in the opinion of the NEC, was prejudicial and grossly damaging to the Labor Party', it was claimed.
The NEC also reportedly said it expected Ms Abbott to undertake an 'online, e-learning module', described as an 'anti-Semitism awareness course', which she would have completed in February.
Sir Keir last week declined to be asked whether Ms Abbott would stand as a Labor candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington.
“The NEC will make a decision on the final list of candidates in due course, so you will see that as the decisions are made,” the Labor leader said on Saturday.
Labor told BBC Newsnight it does not comment on disciplinary matters.
Sir Keir told reporters during an election campaign visit to Stevenage this afternoon: 'Well, the process on the whole is clearly taking a little longer than the fact-finding.
“But ultimately this is an issue for the National Executive Committee to resolve, and they will do so in due course.”
The revelation that the investigation into Ms Abbott concluded months ago sparked intense anger from the Labor left.
A Momentum spokesperson said: 'This is outrageous news which confirms that Starmer's leadership is trying to force Britain's first black female MP out of parliament.
'We have been told for months Keir Starmer that the process is independent and has nothing to do with him.
“Today's revelation confirms that this is another blatant lie from Keir Starmer – the investigation was concluded months ago, Diane remains a Labor member and the whip should have been reinstated as a result.
'Starmer's behavior has already been insulting and humiliating to a woman he rightly called a 'trailrunner' – the first step to making amends is to reinstate the whip and let Diane run as a Labor candidate, as local members wishes.'
Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that Sir Keir's key allies are expected to be lined up as candidates in a range of safe seats.
There has been a last-minute wave of Labor MPs announcing they will withdraw from the House of Commons ahead of the July 4 general election.
They include Barbara Keeley, John Cryer, John Spellar, Virendra Sharma, Kevin Brennan and Julie Elliott.
Senior Labor figures close to Sir Keir – including NEC members – are tipped to be chosen as candidates in the now vacant seats.