Labour officials looking to OUST Diane Abbott from seat as search for successor gets underway

WATCH: Ricky Jones: Suspended Labour councillor found not guilty of encouraging violence after calling for Southport protesters to have 'throat slit'

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GB NEWS

Dan McDonald

By Dan McDonald


Published: 15/08/2025

- 23:09

Updated: 16/08/2025

- 02:10

Diane Abbott's future in the Labour Party is in doubt amid an investigation into her suspension over racism comments

Labour officials are reportedly weighing up candidates to replace for Diane Abbott in her north London seat.

Concern is mounting among Ms Abbott's supporters that the move indicates that her future in the party has already been decided before the outcome of the investigation into her suspension.


Ahead of a contest in the veteran MP's Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat, representatives from the party's national executive committee (NEC) are giving informal advice, The Guardian have reported.

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Diane Abbott

Concern is mounting among Ms Abbott's supporters that the move indicates that her future in the party has already been decided

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Ms Abbott, who has represented the constituency since 1987, was suspended by the Labour Party for the second time in July, after saying she had no regrets "at all" for events surrounding her prior suspension in 2023.

Her first suspension came after writing in a letter to a newspaper that people of colour suffer from racism "all their lives", which differs from "prejudice" that Travellers, Irish people and Jewish people experience.

Last month, Ms Abbott said: “Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don’t know.

“I just think that it’s silly to try and claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism. I don’t know why people would say that.”

Diane Abbott

Ms Abbott, who has represented the constituency since 1987, was suspended by the Labour Party for the second time in July

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The 71-year-old was allowed back into the party ahead of last year's general election after claiming that the letter was a draft version.

She went on to reclaim her north London seat, but had her majority slashed after support for the Greens surged in the constituency.

Ms Abbott responded to rumours that her party are searching for her successor, saying: “It does seem to be rather pre-empting the results of the investigation."

The favourites to replace the long-time parliamentarian are rumoured to be London Assembly member, Sem Moema, and Hackney councillor, Mete Coban.

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However, Labour have affirmed that there have not been any discussions by members of the NEC over future candidates to replace Ms Abbott while the investigation was ongoing.

A Labour Party official told The Guardian: “There’s no appetite among members for a stitch-up, they would want this to be fair after everything that’s happened."

Despite the outcome of the investigation yet to arrive, sources have said that Ms Abbott is not expected to make a return to the party.

As a suspended MP, Ms Abbott is blocked from standing as a candidate until her case is concluded.

The man in his mid 20s, from Islington, was a Labour Party member

Labour have affirmed that there have not been any discussions by members of the NEC over future candidates to replace Ms Abbott

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It comes just days after a Labour MP resigned from their position after taking an unauthorised trip.

Afzal Khan has resigned from his role as the UK's trade envoy to Turkey after making an unsanctioned visiting the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The statelet has not recognised by the UK Government since Turkey's invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

The move sparked fury from the Cypriot Government, calling the visit “absolutely condemnable and unacceptable” and demanded the UK to show “respect” to their country.

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