Diane Abbott: Solidarity from North London. The battle for political inclusivity of the 1980s needs to be fought again
When Diane Abbott was elected along with the late Bernie Grant for two adjoining North London Constituencies, my own of Tottenham and Hackney North and Stoke Newington, at the 1987 Election then Labour leader Neil Kinnock welcomed it as a significant advance for Labour’s ability to represent all sections of the electorate.
The apparent decision to deselect Diane Abbott as a Labour candidate by Executive diktat reflects a Party not going forward in its approach to diversity and equality but back to the bad old days when such matters were deliberately consigned to the margins.
Full marks on this occasion to the Guardian for exposing extreme racist remarks and threats to Ms Abbott by a major Tory donor. A Tory Minister, Mel Suit, has said in response that its time to ‘move on’. Rishi Sunak has argued that Hester’s racism was wrong but as he has apologised its ok now
Keir Starmer, so far, has condemned the abuse that Diane Abbott has suffered over decades but done nothing more, reflecting perhaps an unpleasant and sectarian aspect of his political personality. Perhaps though on this occasion he will feel able to show the generosity of solidarityand reinstate her as a Labour candidate.
At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 13th March, Diane Abbott was at the centre of discussion but despite numerous attempts was not called to speak by the Speaker. Not in 2024 political inclusivity but political invisibility
It suggests more than anything that the battles of the 1980s in terms of inclusive political representation need to be fought again, perhaps as William Morris noted by other people under other names, but it needs doing
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