Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner says she backs Diane Abbott to stand as a Labour candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington at the general election.
Defying her own party, Sir Keir Starmer’s right hand said: “I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP going forward. I am saying that as the deputy leader of the Labour Party.”
Ms Rayner has praised Abbott and said she has been a trailblazer and that she is “not happy” about negative briefings to the papers about the veteran MP.
Her support comes as Sir Keir is being accused of carrying a wider purge of the left – something even Tony Blair did not do – with candidate Faiza Shaheen finding out last night she was barred.
According to reports, she was suspended by the party after she allegedly liked a series of posts on X that downplayed antisemitism accusations.
In a new headache for Starmer, the MP for the Chingford and Woodford Green said she will challenge the decision and accused the party of unleashing a “campaign of prejudice” against her to satisfy a “factional agenda”.
Breaking: Angela Rayner defies party and defends Diane Abbott
The Labour deputy leader says she is backing Ms Abbott as a candidate for Hackney North at the election.
She said: “I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP going forward… I am saying that as the deputy leader of the Labour Party”.
Ms Rayner added that Abbott has been a trailblazer and she is “not happy” about negative briefings to the papers about her. “I don’t think that is how we should conduct ourselves.”
She previously said she wanted to see the veteran MP back to the Labour Party after she was suspended fro 11 months.
Ms Rayner said she was frustrated over the length of the party investigation over her letter on The Observer.
I won’t force premature net zero measures’, Sunak vows
Speaking to voters at the Niftylift factory, he is asked what will he do to achieve net zero if elected.
The PM says: “Of course I believe in climate change, I want to get to net zero,” he said.
“The questions is how do we get there. We need to be more serious. I want to prioritise our countries energy security…we are better off getting it here at home.
“I also want to prioritise your bills. What I don’t want to do is force you prematurely to rip out your boiler, change your car. We don’t need to do them right now.”
Rishi Sunak grilled over partygate
Taking questions from the audience, the prime minister was asked over trust following the party gate scandal during the pandemic.
An audience member asks: “My mum died in 2020 at the high of the pandemic. You probably remember the time where the parties were going down on Downing Street. You attended a gathering where you got a fixed penalty notice.
“How can anyone trust you or your party after things like this?”
Mr Sunak apologises, saying: “I am really sorry that you lost your mum. I can’t imagine what it must have been I am sorry for what it was going on in Downing Street.
“As you know, I was working on things to help you and your business and many other families like that… hopefully some of you here benefited from some of the support that we put in place.”
Rishi Sunak is speaking from Buckinghamshire
The prime minister has launched his campaign event in Milton Keynes.
Mr Sunak is giving a speech similar to the one he gave yesterday in Devon.
He says the “penny is dropping” across Europe and that his Rwanda scheme would reduce immigration numbers.
Businesses battered by Brexit urge Labour and Tories to slash EU tariffs
Rishi Sunak attacks Labour’s pledges
The prime minsister took to social media to ask: “Does anyone actually know what Labour would do if they got into power?”
It comes as Jeremy Hunt published a 24-page dossier outlining Labour’s policies in detail which the Tories said include costs of their promises.
Watch: Nigel Farage refuses to back down over British Muslim comments in clash with Robert Peston
Farage refuses to back down over British Muslim comments in clash with Robert Peston
Nigel Farage defended his comments claiming young Muslims “do not subscribe to British values” in a heated clash during a live interview with Robert Peston. The former Ukip leader, who claimed there are British Muslims who “loathe” much of what the country stands for, was accused of alienating them by the ITV political journalist on Wednesday (29 May). Mr Peston suggested during the clash: “What we should be doing is building bridges between communities, not alienating them.” “So ignoring it – brush it under the carpet,” Mr Farage replied.
Fire Brigades Union: ‘Abbott has been treated in an appalling way’
The union general secretary has accused Labour of “double standards” in the way the left-winger has been deal with.
Matt Wrack said: “There are clearly double standards in how they have been treated as left-wingers and as women of colour when compared to more centrist MPs.
“It is only a matter of weeks since hard-right Tory Natalie Elphicke was welcomed with open arms.
“This has all been an embarrassing distraction. The Labour leadership must now act decisively to reinstate the affected candidates and ensure that no-one is barred from standing at the last minute with no due process.”
‘Army at smallest size since Napoleon,’ says Labor
Shadow defence secretary John Haley has blamed the Tories for dropping Army numbers and said figures have fallen below its target figure for the first time.
Mr Healey said on social media: “The Tories have already cut the Army to its smallest size since Napoleon, now they’ve allowed soldier numbers to slump below their own target strength.”
