‘I’ve dealt with Diane Abbott issue’, Starmer insists at Labour battle bus launch

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that he has dealt with questions over his handling of Diane Abbott’s candidacy, as he faced questions over his authority.

Mr Starmer said that Ms Abbott was “free” to fight for re-election to her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat in London on Friday, days after reports she would be blocked from standing for the party.

On Saturday, the Labour leader was asked about whether he had been forced to act because he had misjudged the level of support for Ms Abbott within the party, including from his deputy Angela Rayner, who was appearing alongside him in Uxbridge for the launch of her battle bus.

“Look, I dealt with this yesterday,” Sir Keir said, as he attempted to pivot discussion toward the party’s plans on jobs and the economy.

Pressed on what his message was for black voters who may have felt let down by his handling of Ms Abbot’s candidacy, Sir Keir sidestepped, saying “my message to voters, because I think this is very, very important, is if you want change the power’s with you”.

Angela Rayner has dismissed claims she pushed Sir Keir Starmer into letting Ms Abbott run as a Labour candidate as “rubbish”.

Rishi Sunak accused Sir Keir of giving in to Ms Rayner, after she first threw her weight behind Ms Abbott’s candidacy.

But Ms Rayner told the Mirror on Saturday: “That is rubbish.

“We both value the contribution that Diane has made to Parliament. So I don’t see any difference. And I certainly don’t push Keir around.

“I respect Keir as the leader of the Labour Party and he’s done a fantastic job. When Keir became leader in 2019, we had suffered our worst defeat and he has changed the Labour Party.

“We’re in a position now where the party is focused on representing the country. Keir is very clear about that and he has got my full support in that.”

Battle bus

Sir Keir had earlier given speeches alongside Ms Rayner and Rachel Reeves, the shadow Chancellor, as the deputy leader prepared to take her battle bus on the road.

Uxbridge is one of the key marginals that Labour are hoping to gain in the election, less than a year after they lost a by-election dubbed the Uloss because of the scale of opposition over Sadiq Khan’s extension of the ultra low emission zone.

Praising Danny Beales, the party’s candidate, who unsuccessfully fought the by-election last year, Ms Reeves said if Labour win Uxbridge “then we will get a Labour government”.

The brand new - Ulez compliant - battle bus will take Ms Rayner some 5,000 miles across the country, starting in Harlow and Thurrock in Essex.

Sir Keir was also asked about comments from pop band D:Ream that they would deny any request to use their song Things Can Only Get Better, which launched Labour’s return in 1997.

“Well, we’re not in 1997, it’s 2024,” Sir Keir said. “We will have a song for that moment, if we’re privileged enough to come in to serve.”