Sir Keir Starmer is facing a backlash over his treatment of Diane Abbott as he was accused of ‘West Wing’ politics.
Ms Abbott was given back the Labour whip on Tuesday, with Labour sources telling The Telegraph that senior figures in the party were trying to reach a “soft landing” for the MP whereby she can “go with grace”.
But it has been reported she will not be allowed to stand at the next general election following her suspension from the party last year after suggesting that Jewish people did not experience racism “all their lives”, remarks she subsequently apologised for.
Dawn Butler, a senior Labour MP, told Newsnight: “Fundamentally, Diane was the first elected black female MP in our country and that’s something to be proud of. I think it’s important that the whip was returned to Diane, she went through the process...
“Keir said this in his last speech to the parliamentary party, the Labour Party is a team and has to act as a team. And I do feel there are some people around Keir, not Keir himself, that maybe have watched a bit too much of Scandal or The West Wing and think that’s how politics is done. That isn’t how politics is done.
“It’s important that someone like Diane gets her due respect. The other thing is it’s up to Diane to decide what she wants to do next and I’m sure she will.”
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