Erro grave na campanha do Labour: tratamento dado a Diane Abbott é leading news

W hether your view of Diane Abbott, 8️⃣ or your view of Keir Starmer, there has plainly been a serious blunder in Labour's campaign when her treatment ends 8️⃣ up leading the news coverage and splashed across most front pages. Quite apart from the bad look, Labour's big 8️⃣ NHS day was blown away by a story on the fate of one MP.

O milagre de Starmer e a recuperação 8️⃣ do Labour

Starmer has pulled off the near-impossible in a remarkably short time: returning Labour to electability after its worst crash 8️⃣ in living memory. This miraculous recovery has required unflinching severity in dealing with antisemitism and a resolute "Labour has changed" 8️⃣ message after Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. It was risky to expel the former leader – but he was extraordinarily lucky that 8️⃣ Corbyn, with characteristic obstinacy, chose to rule himself out by refusing to accept the overall verdict of the independent Equality 8️⃣ and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Had he accepted its judgment and offered a sufficient apology, he would probably still be 8️⃣ a thorn-in-the-side Labour MP. If he wins as an independent, that's a very minor embarrassment as Labour sweeps to power.

O 8️⃣ caso de Diane Abbott: apologia e investigação

Diane Abbott, a longtime Corbynite, did rapidly apologise last year for writing a letter 8️⃣ to the Observer comparing Jewish people's experience of racism with prejudice against gingers, then accepted the public embarrassment and completed 8️⃣ a two-hour online antisemitism awareness course. There it should have ended, instead of 15 months of "investigation" by Labour high 8️⃣ command. The Labour whip was restored to her this week, but she says she has been told that she cannot 8️⃣ stand for Labour in the Hackney North constituency she has represented for 37 years.

A autoridade e a confiança de Starmer 8️⃣ cebolinha flamengo questão

Starmer appearing on TV, denying it was up to him and giving no reason for the interminable delay, lacked 8️⃣ honesty – and it showed. Of course he's in charge. He should have stepped in immediately and let her candidacy 8️⃣ be announced, end of story, moving on to what matters: chasing out these Tory degenerates. Until now, he has brooked 8️⃣ no diversions from the business of winning, which from his first day has been his prime purpose.

A importância de Diane 8️⃣ Abbott como "trailblazer"

Abbott is a "trailblazer", Starmer has said. For many young black women, Abbott's story is indeed that of 8️⃣ a trailblazer, the word Sadiq Khan also uses in praise of her. While on the fence over her candidacy, he 8️⃣ recalls how seeing her in 1987 "made a huge impact on me". It's easy now to forget how the arrival 8️⃣ of a young black woman – struggling always as the only black girl in her grammar school, the only one 8️⃣ in her Cambridge cohort – transformed possibilities for so many.

A mistreatment de Abbott e as consequências para o Labour

She pays 8️⃣ the price in never-ending disgusting abuse, as when the biggest Tory donor said she "should be shot", without Rishi Sunak 8️⃣ casting him off. MPs do get murdered. That alone is a reason why Labour should stand by her. Acknowledging her 8️⃣ iconic role in the party's history, and forcing the Tories to diversify too, is far more important than some of 8️⃣ her jarring views.

Conclusão: reconsiderar a decisão e manter a unidade do partido

It's a fast-moving story. Perhaps Labour campaign leaders will 8️⃣ come to their senses, Starmer will see how petty this looks against the epic importance of this election and Abbott 8️⃣ will be reinstated. Once Labour is in power, losing support from liberal-left and green-inclined voters will be an increasing threat. 8️⃣ Beware of alienating them pointlessly.