Sir Keir Starmer and his team are trying to dampen the fires of a major Labour election row today over moves by the party leadership to block veteran MP Diane Abbott and a slew of other leftwingers from standing on July 4.
Ms Abbott last night threatened to quit and join ally Jeremy Corbyn in running against Labour amid claims she was being prevented from running in a 'disturbing' purge of his former allies.
At the same time as the row over the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP broke a host of other leftwingers were also blocked from standing,including Brighton Kempdown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle.
In parallel a number of moderate allies of Sir Keir were parachuted into safe seats over the head of local members.
In front of around 200 supporters at a rally outside Hackney Town Hall last night,Ms Abbott vowed to stay on as an MP 'by any means possible' and accused the Labour party of wanting to 'exclude' her from Parliament.
Labour former frontbencher Jess Phillips and six unions affiliated with Labour - Aslef,TSSA,Unite,NUM,CWU and FBU - were among those who called for Ms Abbott to be allowed to stand.
Shadow Treasury minister Darren Jones this morning denied that she was being blocked from standing,but questioned on Sky News,refused to endorse her running for Labour again.
Ms Abbott issued a public apology to 'wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them' in April last year
'At a time when all our energy should be focussed on throwing the Tories out,this process looks nakedly factional.
'Diane should have the whip restored now so she can stand as Labour's candidate in the GE.'
Parliament was dissolved as of 00.01 on Thursday,meaning every House of Commons seat has become vacant and all MPs have stopped representing their constituencies.
Parties must nominate their General Election candidates by June 7.
Sky NewsKeir StarmerJeremy CorbynRishi Sunak
