Why I think Labour will let Diane Abbott run | Stephen Bush for the FT (£)
Why I think Labour will let Diane Abbott run | Stephen Bush for the FT (£)
I think he's right Abbott will run (and should), but mainly sharing for the handy historical reminder that, far from being some uniquely awful event in the annals of Labour party history, this sort of thing is unfortunately par for the course.
As Bush puts it: 'Labour starts every short campaign with a row over its selections'. Similar bitter arguments happened in 2019 with candidates who won local selections but were then replaced by the NEC with someone loyal to the leader. Another egregious example Bush cites was Blair's NEC selecting a former Tory MP to run for a safe seat in 2001 when it became obvious he wouldn't hang on to his own (can you imagine if Starmer had done that with Natalie Elphicke?).
Labour's selection system is rubbish (the members have too little deselection power and the NEC have too much). On the other hand, given that our system of government relies on having lots of parliamentary allies, it's totally unsurprising that leaders are keen to get as many allies as possible elected to parliament. The NEC is a particularly blunt instrument they use to do that.
Diane Abbott is constantly attacking Kier Starmer and the party based on hearsay. Keir and the Labour Party have conversely said nothing but nice things about Abbott. People are always comparing Abbott and Elphicke, who was allowed to defect in order to damage the Tory party but not stand in the next election, where is the comparison here? Abbott is just vindictive, self serving and has lost any political nous she may have had in the past, she should retire before she destroys her legacy completely.
I'm generally inclined to give the leadership the benefit of the doubt, but it really doesn't seem like they've communicated with her well. I can understand why she's finding info from other sources if she's getting nothing from the party, which seems to be the case.
That is fair enough, but the thing to do when you are told something like you are being de-selected is to ask for confirmation from the party within a reasonable timeframe. Not go out and have a rally with your supporters and the press to tell the world how disgusting you think your party leadership is.
Edit: although now she has been selected maybe she did exactly the right thing, for herself, even if it was at the expense of the party.