Keir Starmer now says it’s “not true” that Diane Abbott has been barred from standing for Labour in the election when asked at a Q&A by Sky News.

“No decision has been taken to bar Diane Abbott from standing.”

This is despite Diane Abbott confirming briefings to The Times last night that this was the case. The whole day’s round has been dominated by this comms disaster. Six trade unions have called for her to be able to stand. A communications disaster to overshadow a day’s broadcast round…

It is now reported that Labour restored the whip to Diane Abbott today. An entire year (and a bit) after she wrote her infamous 126 words in The Observer, got suspended, and faced silence from Labour. It is reported that Abbott took one-hour long antisemitism training course in February and was awaiting her re-entry to the party. The raft of re-admissions keeps coming…

LOTO still intends to ban Abbott from standing in the election for Labour…

An entire year has passed since the Labour Party suspended Diane Abbott pending investigation for setting up her own handy racism hierarchy. Soon enough she declared the racism investigation racist…

Guido checked with Labour today that the investigation was still ongoing. They must really be poring over those 126 words…

When Starmer asked Abbott what he could do to help in the wake of Tory donor Frank Hester’s fruity remarks, she said “You could restore the whip.” No such luck. Her chum Angela Rayner has so far been unsuccessful in getting her back into the fold…

Internal sources say she ain’t coming back. Starmer has already called the comments antisemitic. Maybe they could wind up their extensive investigation. Judging by Bercow’s record stint under the spotlight Guido isn’t sure they will…

At the unproductive press gallery lunch Rayner was asked about Diane Abbott’s potential return to the Labour fold. She said:

“I can’t really talk about individual cases because I wouldn’t know but I would like to see Diane back, as a person I would like to see Diane back. But the Labour Party has to follow procedures.“

Those “procedures” have dragged on for quite a bit of time now. 326 days have passed since Abbott was suspended for her 200-word letter. The choice to keep her out is a political one.

Despite rantings from the left of the party, senior personnel in Labour HQ are not keen on seeing Diane come back. An internal source tells Guido in no uncertain terms: “Abbott is a victim of racism, but that doesn’t stop her from being racist. This is a test for Keir. Everyone can see it.” Guido isn’t convinced that Starmer and his deputy are on the same page…

As expected, PMQs was taken over by top Tory donor Frank Hester’s comment that Diane Abbott made him want “to hate all black women“. After 12 hours of dithering, No 10 finally said the words were “wrong and racist” last night, though it didn’t prevent a feisty back and forth between the two leaders, and a fair few others, today. After commending former PM Theresa May for her work as an MP (which Sunak refrained from doing) Starmer made it his mission to attack Sunak and demand the Tories pay back the hefty £10 million that Hester has given them. The whipless Abbott sat glumly on the backbenches, itching to ask a question…

Another year, another war the hard left Corbynistas rally against. Old Jezza is back at it again, this time leading the cry against   the UK and US’ military action in Yemen against the Islamist rebel Houthi group, blasting the government’s decision as “reckless“. A reminder: Houthi’s slogan is “God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam.”

Fellow hard left Labour MPs have taken to social media to join Jeremy’s rallying cry against Sunak’s decision not to recall parliament and Starmer’s support for the strikes. Apsana Begum called the action “dangerous”, while  Dianne Abbott has condemned Starmer for supporting the strikes. Kim Johnson and Claudia Webbe are among the names of Labour MPs blasting the strikes against the Houthis.

This isn’t new for Labour, back in 2019, Labour MP LLoyd Russell-Moyle was blasted by Jewish Labour groups for inviting a top Houthi figure to a Stop the War Coalition meeting in the Commons. Guido’s sure there will be more loony lefties attacking the strikes to come…