Pressure on Starmer as Rayner says she wants Diane Abbott back as Labour MP

Labour chief Keir Starmer is beneath rising strain after his deputy Angela Rayner mentioned she wish to see Diane Abbott again within the social gathering.

Ms Rayner additionally condemned as “completely chilling” alleged feedback by high Tory donor Frank Hester that Ms Abbott made him “need to hate all Black girls” and that she needs to be “shot”.

She mentioned: “Personally I wish to see Diane again. However the Labour Occasion has to comply with its procedures… so it doesn’t matter what I believe.”

Her feedback got here as Labour veteran Harriet Harman referred to as for the investigation into Ms Abbott’s suspension to be sped up, admitting that the processes can typically be gradual.

The feedback expose a break up on the very high of the Labour Occasion and can pile strain on Sir Keir, who has to this point resisted calls to revive the whip to Ms Abbott.

Earlier, Sir Keir mentioned Ms Abbott, who has this week been on the centre of a Conservative Occasion race row, wanted “an arm round her” however described her suspension as a “utterly totally different” challenge and one which was “topic to an ongoing investigation”.

The longtime MP was suspended from Labour final yr after she urged Jewish, Irish and Traveller persons are not topic to the identical racism as another minorities.

The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, who served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cupboard alongside Ms Rayner, apologised “unreservedly”.

However Sir Keir wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not or not Ms Abbott, who at present sits as an unbiased, may anticipate to turn into a Labour MP once more, saying the 11-month investigation into her alleged antisemitic remarks was “not resolved”.

The Labour chief mentioned the longest-serving black MP was a “trailblazer” and described the language allegedly utilized by Mr Hester as “abhorrent”.

However he instructed BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine that permitting the MP again into the social gathering was an “solely totally different challenge”.

He added: “That was about allegations of antisemitism in relation to a letter… which is topic to an ongoing investigation, which is separate from me. That’s not one thing which I conduct.”

Ms Rayner mentioned she typically felt “frustration” over how lengthy processes can take, however added: “In (some) situations there are delicate causes for that.”

Shadow Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned she was additionally pissed off with how lengthy the investigation into Ms Abbott was taking. She mentioned it was an unbiased course of by which she had no direct position, however she instructed BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that: “I believe all people needs to see that sped up.”

The feedback come a day after Ms Abbott hit out on the Conservatives and Labour, accusing each events of “surprising” racism within the Tory donor scandal.

Rishi Sunak has refused handy again a £10m donation from Mr Hester, a rich businessman.

The prime minister has defended protecting the money and argued that the healthcare tech entrepreneur’s apology needs to be accepted.

Talking at a lunch with Westminster, Ms Rayner additionally mentioned main Labour donor Dale Vince ought to “replicate” on his “appalling” remarks about Hamas.

He instructed Instances Radio final yr that “one man’s terrorist is one other man’s freedom fighter” when requested concerning the Palestinian militant group that carried out the 7 October assaults, by which 1,200 folks have been killed.

At an occasion in Westminster, Ms Rayner was requested if she thought the feedback had been acceptable. She mentioned: “In that context, I believe it’s appalling and I don’t suppose he ought to have mentioned it.

“And I believe he ought to replicate on that. Language is essential.”