Labour NEC to confirm Diane Abbott reselection despite ‘lies’ tweet

According to sources at The Guardian, it seems that Diane Abbott will be chosen again to compete for her spot within the Labour party at an upcoming executive meeting on Tuesday, despite publicly stating on social media that she believes Keir Starmer is dishonest.

Sources have revealed that Abbott is expected to be selected as a candidate to participate in the upcoming general election, which will be approved by the national executive committee (NEC).

Last week, Starmer announced that Abbott had the liberty to run as a Labour contender, following several days of conjecture that she might face disqualification.

On Sunday, Abbott shared her plans to contest and emerge victorious as the Labour representative in Hackney North and Stoke Newington. She refuted claims stating that she received an offer for a seat in the House of Lords on the condition of withdrawing from the constituency where she has been a member of parliament for 37 years.

According to reports, she supposedly posted a tweet that contained a hyperlink to an article written by Tom Baldwin, who wrote a book about Starmer. The article was titled "Starmer on Abbott: 'I've actually got more respect for Diane than she probably realises'", and her comment on it read "More lies from Starmer". However, she erased the tweet not long after publishing it.

Officials from the Labour party stated that they would disregard the previous post and proceed with the reselection process on Tuesday. A reliable source from the party mentioned that they expect the NEC meeting to be brief and uneventful. The main objective is to move forward and put this matter to rest.

Experienced leaders within the Labour Party are worried that the disagreement about Abbott and the alleged elimination of candidates with left-leaning views could weaken the party's claim that it has transformed from the time when it was rife with internal disputes during the tenure of Jeremy Corbyn.

The Labour party criticized the Conservatives for causing chaos and division in the past few years. They proposed that if Keir Starmer was in charge of the government, it would prioritize working on behalf of the general public.

One source within the party shared that Keir expressed that Diane has the choice to run in the upcoming election. The focus for now is to deal with the NEC meeting and prioritize matters that are significant to the electorate. Mentioning internal divisions would not contribute positively to this agenda.

According to The Guardian, Apsana Begum has been included in the list of party candidates who may be approved by the NEC. This news comes amidst rumors that her candidacy might be rejected.

Sources from the local party in Poplar and Limehouse, located in the east side of London, have stated that there have been discussions about the possibility of introducing a new candidate.

It's been reported that the Labour headquarters was worried about the consequences of removing another female candidate from an ethnic minority background.

On Monday, a group of over 50 individuals from the local area wrote a letter to Starmer, the general secretary of the Labour party, David Evans, and the NEC. The letter requested that Begum be replaced, as she had been scheduled to go through a re-selection process in 2022, which was initiated by members in every ward, but did not end up taking place.

Labour had received requests to halt the procedure following Begum's revelation of her sick leave and experience of consistent misogynistic harassments.

According to the Guardian, a letter states that it is vital for the Labour party to have candidates who have honesty, openness, and dedication to their voters leading up to the 2024 general election.

Regrettably, the current happenings and prior disputes pertaining to Apsana Begum have caused noteworthy doubts about her appropriateness as the Labour contender for this crucial election. As members of the local community, we have submitted an official complaint against Apsana Begum today and request that she be substituted with a local nominee who can confirm their integrity.

According to Jim Fitzpatrick, previously the Labour MP for the area, Begum should have been taken out by the NEC if this were any other circumstance. However, Fitzpatrick believes that currently there's a danger that the preference of the local party might not be acknowledged. While this would be unfortunate, Fitzpatrick hopes that his apprehension is unwarranted.

Begum's representative, who received a letter from their supporters to the NEC on Monday, stated that this is an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the first hijab-wearing MP who has survived domestic abuse. Apsana is a beloved and highly esteemed public servant who has continuously aided her constituency. This is simply a final, desperate attempt to discredit her.