Labour Lords have written to Keir Starmer saying she should stand, while Young Labour and Labour Students’ members from across the country have also spoken out, reports the Labour Assembly Against Austerity.

Two well-respected, decades-long labour movement campaigners who are current Labour members of the House of Lords have written to Keir Starmer to deliver on behalf of its signatories a petition in support of Diane Abbott. It has been signed by over 17,500 people from over 550 parliamentary constituencies.

Their letter reads as follows:

“Dear Sir Keir,

We are writing to draw your attention to the fact that over 17,5000 people have now signed this petition in support of the PLP whip to be restored to Diane Abbott petition.

In light of this level of support, the idea that Diane Abbott should not also be permitted to stand as a Labour Party candidate in the forthcoming general election is unthinkable.

As the General Secretaries of ASLEF, the CWU, FBU, NUM, TSSA and Unite said in their recent letter to you on this matter, “For over thirty years – since becoming the first Black woman ever elected to parliament – Diane has stood in every election as a Labour Party candidate.

“We believe that the whip should be restored to Diane and that she should be confirmed as the candidate at the general election for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, which she has represented for so long.”

Yours,

Baroness Christine Blower & Lord John Hendy KC.”

Baroness Christine Blower said:“Diane has been a stalwart of the Labour Party and an inspiration to so many. It is indeed unthinkable that she shouldn’t be a Labour Candidate in this election.”

Lord John Hendy KC, added: “The idea that Diane Abbott should not be permitted to stand as a Labour Party candidate in the forthcoming general election is unthinkable. It would be the ultimate insult on top of the catalogue of vile abuse she suffered at the hands of the Party recorded by Martin Forde KC in his Report. It must not happen.”

The petition was initiated by the Labour Assembly Against Austerity and Arise – A Festival of Left Ideas. Commenting on behalf of the two organisations, Matt Willgress said: “Each day we see illustrations of the growing support there is for Diane across the whole Labour Party and trade union movement and beyond. The message from thousands of us is clear – let Diane Stand!”

Meanwhile, Young Labour and Labour Students members from across the country have called on Keir Starmer to confirm that Diane Abbott will be allowed to stand as a Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Their statement reads as follows:

“As young people and students who are members of the Labour Party, we urge you to confirm that Diane Abbott will be allowed to be the Parliamentary candidate for Labour in her constituency now that the whip has been restored.

Diane is a trailblazer who inspires thousands of young people across the country, and is a valuable, popular asset to our party amongst young voters.

If the PLP can be a broad enough church to host Natalie Elphicke, then it can surely find a space for Diane, who voters in Hackney clearly wish to be their Labour MP.”

The Open Letter’s initial signatories included Aaron Stringer, Nottinghamshire Young Labour; Anya Wilkinson, Lancaster University Labour Club; Alec Severs, Manchester Labour Students; Alex Bourne, Derbyshire Young Labour; Alex Burt, Leicester Young Labour; Alexy King, NTU Labour Society; Django Perks, Yorkshire and Humber Young Labou; Emily Payne, Warwick University Labour Society; Erin Hall, Lancaster University Labour Club; Fraser McGuire, Manchester Labour Students; Harriet Limb, Derbyshire Young Labour; Harry Wrench, Lancaster University Labour Club; James Varney, Warwick University Labour Society; Liv Marshall, Nottinghamshire Young Labour; Luca Dunmore, Cambridge University Labour Club; Niamh Iliff, Nottingham Labour Students; Ollie Chapman, Warwick University Labour Society; Ollie Probert-Hill, North West Young Labour; Oliver Mousley, Derby Labour Students; Rufus Sammels-Moore, Derbyshire Young Labour; Sohail Hussain, Birmingham University Labour Society; Vanisha Karna, South East Young Labour; Will Jones, Liverpool Labour Students; Zack Hayward, Cambridge University Labour Club.

The petition supporting Diane can be viewed here.  The petition has also been supported by numerous prominent figures on social media including MPs in the last Parliament Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Beth Winter, Richard Leonard, Richard Burgon, Apsana Begum, Jon Trickett, Nadia Whittome and Ian Lavery.

The General Secretaries of six affiliated trade unions – ASLEF, CWU, FBU, NUM, TSSA and Unite – recently wrote a letter to Keir Starmer asking for the whip to be restored and Diane to be a Labour candidate. It can be read here.